Connection in the Past
by Pen to Paper Writer
Summary: Rick finds an old HAM radio. Thinking it will be a good birthday gift for Kate he gets it and gives it to her. He realizes all too late that his gift will bring unexpected circumstances and terrible events right to his doorstep. After her first time using it, he can't remember anything. Based on the movie Frequency released in 2000.
1. Chapter 1

Castle was late. Well not as late as he usually was. He was already up and showered and out of the loft when he heard Beckett's ring tone on his cell. He was about to step into their favorite coffee shop to place his usual order for coffee. He'd been following her for the last three years and he thought that after their initial meeting they had become better at expressing how they felt towards each other.

"Castle" He answered.

"Castle, where are you?"

"I'm just about to head into the coffee shop near the precinct. Why?"

"Change of plans. I'll text you the address where to meet me at."

"We have a new case?"

"We do. Get her as fast as you can, you're going to love this one!"

"Okay, Beckett I'll be there in twenty."

"Make it fifteen, and don't forget the coffee!"

The call ended and Rick walked to the curb to hail a cab. With his arm up to flag down a cab, he kept checking his phone for her text. Just then a cab pulled up and stopped. He waited for a second and as he reached for the door handle his phone pinged with a new incoming text message. The address she sent was in the meat packing district. 440 west fourteenth street. He closed the text and was about to place his phone back in his pocket and tell the cabbie where to go just as there was another text. It told him to come to the third floor and that the elevator was not working.

"440 West 14th street please."

The cab pulled away from the curb and then Rick remembered that he needed to stop for coffee. Telling the cabbie to pull over to the coffee shop to his right three blocks from the address, he jumped out and got their order. Ten minutes later he was getting out of the cab after paying the fare and including a sizeable tip.

He checked the address to be sure he had the right location. Stepping up onto the steps he noticed the two uniforms that stood just inside the entrance. Knowing that the elevator was out of service he took to the stairs. He was just a little winded reaching the third floor. He gathered his panting breath to come to somewhat normal before he continued vowing to himself to hit the treadmill in his basement gym...soon.

He walked down the hallway and as he did there was another uniform placed at the entry door to the crime scene. Nodding to the officer who he knew as O'Brien he passed into the tiny apartment. He was floored when he walked into the small one bedroom. There were old newspapers stacked from the floor to almost the ceiling. He placed one of the coffees down and pulled off the top most copy of the yellowed paper. It was an old copy of The Daily News. Noting the headline It read: _Mickey Mantle slams HR record, Giants split; Yanks win._ There was a picture of Mickey Mantle on the front page holding the baseball that broke the record. He noticed the date on the copy of the Daily News it was from April 18, 1953.

Most of the tri-states papers were represented throughout the room and stacked all over the area which he guessed was the living room. It turned into a kind of maze when he turned to find Beckett. Not wanting to call out for her, he picked up the coffee and wandered around to the next room. In it were all sorts of appliances, from blenders to microwave ovens and toys. As he maneuvered through the maze, he bumped into an old-fashioned mannequin. It almost tipped over, but he was able to save it from falling. The noise he made was enough to alert Beckett and then she knew where he was.

"Castle, don't touch anything. This place is like a mine field and if you move anything the wrong way and we'll be digging out here for days."

"Okay, I won't." He cautiously navigated the rest of the room and found her. He eased between an old ironing board and a Kiss pinball machine and handed Beckett her coffee and asked,

"What do we have?"

"Meet Mr. Ragazzo. Shot twice, once in the chest and then again in the back. No signs of forced entry…"

"So he knew his killer." Rick finished for her

"Right. He was a widower, and had collected all the stuff you see around here."

"Robbery? Rick asked.

"It looks that way, but I'm not so sure what they were after. Whatever it was it has to be here among this mess since nothing has been disrupted and his wallet and ID are still with him."

"What was the time of death?" Rick asked.

Kate looked to Lanie wanting to know also.

"I can give you an estimate, somewhere between 3 am and 7. He was shot with your basic .38 but I'll know more when I get him back to the morgue."

"Thanks, Lanie." Kate replied.

Lanie needed to be extra careful when removing the body. He was a small man and would need to be carried out of the bedroom and out to the hallway as not to disturb the crime scene. She watched as Kate gave her an odd look and walked away.

Rick went to follow her and as he did something in the second bedroom caught his attention. On the floor, there were four HAM radios. They were from the 50's or 60's at least. He remembered his research from a Dereck Storm idea he had and was going to put him in. The letters HAM stood for the three pioneers of radio itself. Heinrich Rudolf **H** ertz, Edwin **A** rmstrong, and Guglielmo **M** arconi. These radios looked to be in pristine condition which he thought was odd due to the fact that everything else around here was old, musty and rusted. But there was one in particular that he paid the most attention to it was a Heathkit single-sideband ham radio. He had seen Kate's dads radio in his basement and it was a perfect match to the one he was seeing lying on the floor.

He looked at the units and then an idea hit him. Beckett's birthday was coming up and he knew that her dad had a radio exactly like it in the basement and she'd like it because it was an exact copy of her dad's. Leaving to catch up to her he called out her name.

"Beckett?

"I'm out here Castle"

He walked to the sound of her voice. She was leaning against the door frame to the entry way. As she waited for him he tried to think of a way to ask her his question. When he reached her she was turning from him already walking away.

"Beckett, wait a sec."

"What is it, Castle?"

"What is going to happen to all this stuff?"

"Mr. Ragazzo had no next of kin. We might need a couple of pieces for evidence. So, I would think that most of this "stuff" as you call it will be donated to Good Will or the Salvation Army."

"Oh, okay."

The gears in Rick's head began turning. He had many favors owed to him from various people in the 12th. When he returned, he'd call in one or two of those favors. The ride back to the precinct was filled with heated speculation about Mr. Ragazzo's murder. Rick thought he was killed for the items in the apartment, while Kate thought that he was murdered because the crime rate in that neighborhood was high and it was a crime of opportunity. By the time they got back, they had agreed on one thing, they _would_ find the person responsible for his death.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, he walked onto the homicide floor ready with two coffees in hand, knowing her needs all too well. He glanced at her desk and could tell by her body language that she was already frustrated with the case. Some things never change with her. He walked up to the murder board that she was currently immersed in, oblivious to his arrival.

"So, anything new?" Castle asked.

Beckett just said nothing and kept staring at the white board. After a minute, she spoke.

"Castle we need to pull security camera footage of the cameras outside his apartment building. Then maybe we might be able to see who was coming and going that morning."

"We? I thought that Ryan was king of the security footage."

"I meant him. We have to go and interview the landlord. The preliminary canvas came up with him not home the first time around."

"Okay, when?"

"Right after I tell him to get started on the cam footage."

From her desk, Beckett told Ryan to get the security footage by all means necessary, even if he needed to get a warrant. Looking back to Castle she returned to his stare and asked him,

"You ready Castle?"

He stood up and as he was following behind her quickly. He glimpsed LT in his peripheral vision and slowed a bit. Beckett walked on with a purpose. He watched as LT tussled with a suspect leading him down to holding. He waited for him to return. Less than a minute later he did.

"LT, got a second?" Rick asked.

"What is it Castle, I need to process that guy. So, make it quick."

Rick looked over to where Beckett was and luck was on his side. Stedner had stopped her to ask something about a case that was recently closed. So this hold up gave him time to act.

"LT, I need to call in a favor."

"Castle, what now?"

"It's easy, don't worry."

"Yeah, it starts out like that but whatever you want has a tendency to go sideways."

"Alright to show you how easy this is, and how much I need you to do this everything you owe me in the form of favors will be wiped out, I promise."

LT just raised an eyebrow at him. He thought he must want this badly if he's willing to erase everything that's owed to him. He looks at him again and then agrees.

"Okay Castle, what's the favor?"

"There is a HAM radio at the Ragazzo crime scene. It's from the 60's and it's a Heathkit and it has a nameplate on the front of it. Most of the items there will be donated to the Good Will you need to get to it before that happens. All you need to do is fill out a dummy evidence voucher and take it back here. Leave it in the janitor's closet on the top shelf out of view, and I'll do the rest."

"I don't know Castle. Tampering with evidence? What if they want it for the case?"

"Then I'll return it and put the blame on me. Your hands will be clean, I won't get you into trouble."

"Well, I guess I can do this. But then we're square?"

"Yup. Clean slate."

LT turned away to finish processing the suspect he had brought in earlier, as he did he gave Castle a nod in the affirmative as he walked away.

Rick thought about the radio and what he needed to do to restore it. He'd bring it to a guy he knew and replace everything to make it 100% again. He noticed that Stedner was drawing the conversation to a close with Beckett. He rushed up to her trying not to be noticed and he came to a stop close to her as she turned her head, ready to call out for him.

"You ready Castle?"

"Sure, let's go."

The ride again was filled with speculation of what the landlord could reveal to them. Neither wanted to concede on the others possible scenario. They were talking, heatedly right up until they pulled up in front of the building.

Xx

As Beckett questioned the landlord, Rick remembers back to a story she had told him when she while she was attending her first year at Stanford.

 _"Castle, it wasn't like that. I had no friends, well I did but they were all geeks. So, until I became known there I hung out with them."_

 _"Oh? And what did you do please tell me!"_

 _They had started a Nebula 9 fan club. But they had taken it a step beyond. Once a month we'd all dress up as our favorite characters. I went as Lieutenant Chloe. But soon after we had decided to end it because it got out of hand. So, after that was finished. A friend, who will remain nameless taught me how to operate a HAM radio. There were classes I had to take and when we were finished I took the test to be able to operate a HAM radio. You are looking at the owner of a General Class license. It was great I could talk to anyone in the world!"_

 _"Wow! Do you still have it?"_

 _"Once you have it, you need to renew it after ten years. Mine is still valid for another two years. I even have a call sign, care to guess my number, Castle?"_

 _Beckett, are you going to give to me if I don't guess correctly?"_

 _"I will. And I'll give you a hint. My call sign has two numerals and three letters."_

 _"Okay, I'll guess 7YT4H."_

 _"Cold Castle. You'll never guess."_

 _"Well if that's true, you should just tell me then._

 _"Okay, my call sign is 9AG9Z."_

 _"That's so cool!"_

"Castle!"

Rick had failed to realize that she was yelling at him until he slipped off the hood of the car. Landing on his ass, all she could do was start laughing loudly.

"Beckett, it's not funny!"

"You're right it's not funny, it's hilarious!"

The landlord yielded nothing. So, they drove back to the 12th. Rick was walking up the stairs and LT was walking down. He slowed a bit to let Beckett get ahead of him.

"The package has been delivered." LT told him as he passed.

Rick brushed his finger to the side of his nose at LT after hearing the news, LT just grinned.

Now he needed to somehow get the radio out of the precinct without anyone seeing him. He decided to place it into a banker's box and tell the desk sergeant that he was working on a case at home and it was authorized for him to take the box. He would just need for Beckett and the boys to leave before he did. So, wait he did. Javi and Kevin had left saying that they were going to Ryan's place to play Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag. He bid they good luck and said to them that he'd see them tomorrow.

That left only Beckett for him to convince to leave. He could use the excuse that it was a long day for her and that she needed to go home and rest. He started off cautiously as not to reveal his mission.

"Beckett, why don't you knock off and get some rest, this case right now is at a standstill. The only lead we had was a dead end."

She looked at him with an uneasiness. He was right, they were spinning their wheels and she could really use the rest.

"You know Castle, that sounds like a good idea. Are you heading out too?"

"Yes, I will. Today was a bit frustrating since we can't piece anything together."

"I know the feeling. Well, tomorrow might be a different story... I hope. I'm heading home. Walk me out?"

Rick froze, he needed an excuse to lag behind. Thinking quickly, he told her,

"Beckett, the desk sergeant wants me to sign one of his daughter's book. So, I'll take care of that and then head home."

"Okay, Castle. I'll see you tomorrow then."

She gets up slips into her coat and shuts down her computer. With everything secured she leaves and heads for the elevator. The second the doors close, he's on his feet heading for the janitor's closet. LT was right, the package is there. He takes the bankers box and carefully places the radio into it. Then he places a file folder on top hoping that if anyone did question what's in the box they would look no further than the file. Checking that the coast is clear by sticking his head out through the slightly open door he turns back grabs the box and leaves. He takes the stairs foregoing the elevator knowing that he'd most likely run into someone who'd question his departure with the box. His first stop if he can make it before 7 pm is to his guy Gene. He hopes that the traffic will be light.

As it turns out the traffic is not light. An accident slowed his way, but soon he walked up to Gene's shop on Canal street seeing him locking up for the night.

"Gene, hold on a sec!" Rick yelled to him.

"Rick, talk about cutting it close."

"I know, I know. Traffic was a bitch, but I made it."

"Yeah, you did. Come on in with that monstrosity and let's have a look at it."

Rick follows Gene back into the shop. The shop itself holds a treasure trove of radios, parts, and very large antennas. Gene opens the box and takes a look.

"Rick, this radio you have here, is a classic! They don't make them like this anymore."

While Gene takes the top cover off the radio, Rick is happy that he spied this gem at the crime scene. Gene is looking the unit over and his face brightens at what he sees.

"Rick, this radio is in pretty good condition and it only needs a touch of TLC. I'll get it cleaned up and working for you in no time. Give me a call tomorrow and I'll let you know the damage in dollars."

"Great Gene. Thanks."

Gene gives Rick his business card and asks him to give him a call.

What Rick doesn't know is that he had inadvertently opened Pandora's box.

 **A/N: Thanks go out to Wheres Beckett for his help with his HAM radio knowledge. Thanks, WD.**

 **A/N 2: 10 points to any reader who can spot the easter egg in this chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

It was his morning routine for the last two years. Wake up, shower, grab something lite to eat and then leave the loft. On his way to the precinct, the path was burned in his brain. He'd stop at their coffee shop close to Remy's and order her vanilla latte and his own cappuccino. From there he was two blocks away. Entering the 12th he raised his cup to the desk sergeant in the acknowledgment to his greeting. Juggling the bag of pastries, he presses the elevator button and waits. Stepping off the elevator he first notices that it seems that total chaos ensued everywhere. He made his way to her desk and placed her coffee on the corner of her blotter. The team was in the captain's office in what looked be like a serious meeting. So, feeling that he was not a part of this meeting, he sat beside her desk and pulled out his phone to start a new round of angry birds.

Xx

"Beckett, I am aware of the policies. But now that this new commissioner has been sworn in he wants them strictly enforced. It's out of my hands, I'm sorry."

Ryan was not giving up without saying anything.

"But sir, I'm sure that once they review the cases, they will see that, as a team, we solve every one of our active cases and 18 percent of the cold cases."

"All of you need to listen what I'm telling you. This is out of my hands. Even if they were to complete a review of everything we've worked, which I'm sure they won't it would still take about a year to complete it."

"Cap, won't the upper brass see how moral has been raised, and coming to work is less than a chore now?" Espo asked.

"That still doesn't matter. Policies and rules are in place for a reason. I'm tired of explaining an order from the higher command. Since Mr. Castle is here, send him in, please. Dismissed!"

The three detectives sadly file out of the captain's office and return to work. Beckett casts a look to Castle hoping that he will understand.

"Cas- Rick, the captain needs to see you."

"Me? Whatever for?"

"Don't know. He just needs to see you."

Rick reluctantly gets up from his chair and walks like he has no idea what the problem is, because he's totally in the dark here. Reaching the outer door, he lightly knocks.

"Enter." Shouts the captain.

"Sir, you needed to see me?"

"I do. Have a seat Castle."

Rick fully enters and takes a seat across from him. He waits while Roy gathers his thoughts. He looks upset, and maybe a little pissed off.

"Rick, I've been directed to tell you that your position as a civilian investigator has come to an end."

"WHAT? Why?" His voice could be heard throughout the floor.

Roy took a deep breath hoping he could get through this.

"Rick it seems that the new commissioner is a stickler for the rules and regulations. He wants all non-police personnel working in any house that's not paid an actual salary to be dismissed."

"But Roy, I help the team. We solve hard cases!"

"Don't you think I know that? I need you here for that purpose and well, you know…"

"Know what Roy? What do I know?"

"Rick, I see what you've been able to do for Kate. She's a new and different person since you got here. She lives her life again, that's a feat in and of itself. I hate to see that end, but I'm sorry."

"Roy, there's more than one way to get back here, and don't think I won't use it!" He threatened.

"Yeah I'd thought you might mention that. Here…"

Roy takes a sealed envelope from his desk and hands it to Rick. He opens it and starts reading.

 _"Rick,_

 _I'm sorry to tell you that the new commissioner has me over a barrel. If your reading this, you were tempted to call me to be able to stay on at the 12th_ _and still consult. I wish that I was able to wave a magic wand and make it so, but the new P.C. seems to be a hard ass, and one for enforcing the rules. He was informed about all the people who were not in an official capacity department-wide and they too were told to leave. You have my deepest sympathies, Rick._

Your friend,

 _Bob_

Rick just looked at Roy with a sad look on his face.

"So I guess it's useless to fight this then?"

"It is. Rick, I'm really sorry. I will let them know what an impact that you've had here. I'll get them to reconsider."

"Roy, thanks, but I think your time is better spent worrying about your command. I would feel really terrible if you were to get jammed up on my behalf."

Just as Roy was about to argue, his cell rang. Fishing it from his pocket, he swiped it to answer.

"Hello?"

"Rick, it's me, Gene. I just finished with the HAM. Boy, she's a beauty. I'd give anything to have it."

"So it's ready?"

"Yeah, better than new. There were two vacuum tubes that needed to be replaced and a thorough cleaning, but it's ready."

"Great, I'll be over to pick it up within the hour."

"Sure Rick, see you then."

"Roy, would it be alright if I left and came back later? Since I'm now no longer a member of the team there's something I need to get and give to Beckett for her birthday."

"I don't think that'd be a problem. Just let the sarge at the front desk know when you will be back."

Rick gets up and extends his hand for Roy to shake. He reciprocates and Rick says,

"Roy it's been fun, and I hope that I was somewhat of a help and not a pain in your ass."

"Thanks, Rick."

He turns and leaves the office. When he enters the bull pen that less than fifteen minutes ago, was a loud area, is now very quiet. Beckett and the boys are not at their desks and he thinks they are either chasing down a lead or were assigned a new case. He waits for five minutes before he leaves her a note telling her that'd he be back in an hour and he leaves.

"Beckett we need to stop this. There has to be a way to keep him here with us."

"Kevin, what can we do? Our hands are tied. I don't even think Rick has that many tricks up his sleeve."

"Rick?" Espo and Ryan ask her together.

"That's his name, isn't it?"

"But we've never heard you use his real name before."

"Well, it doesn't seem to matter now. Let's get this statement from this witness and get back before he leaves."

Xx

Rick enters Gene's shop and he's behind the counter. He walks up to see that he did do a great job with the radio.

"So, here she is Rick. Better than new."

"It looks amazing. It's operational?"

"It is, I was talking to London earlier. Great clarity and the signal was very good. It was like they were in the next room."

"Good to know. How much is the damage?"

"It's not as bad as you think it'd be. The parts were 56.00 dollars, and the labor was 80.00 dollars, for a grand total of 136.00 plus tax."

Rick pulls out cash and pays Gene with a bonus for getting this done in less than 24 hours.

"Keep the change Gene, and thanks so much."

Gene looks at the two one hundred dollar bills in his hand and smiles.

He walks out and heads to a gift-wrapping store he knows of. There the radio will be wrapped and he will get her a card to. The clerk has it done while he waits and then he's off, back to the precinct. When he gets there, the team is still gone. He leaves the box on her desk with the card and takes back his note he left her earlier. He stops by Roy's office one last time to tell him that he left Beckett a gift, and Roy will tell her it's from him. He turns to leave but before he does he takes in the homicide floor one last time. Souring a little, he has enjoyed the time he spent here getting bad guys behind bars for their crimes. He heads for the elevator and leaves. Heading home he thinks about her and what they'll do now. Will they be lost without him? Will they miss him? He knows that he will miss them and the cases they worked, but as they say, rules are rules…


	4. Chapter 4

Now that he was unemployed from his day job, he decided to write for a while. The problem with that was he was drawing a blank. He was only staring at the cursor blinking ominously on the screen, his fingers idle. Then his phone rang.

"Hey Beckett, I know you're not calling me for a case, so why the call?"

"Castle, can't a friend see how her friend is doing considering the circumstances?"

"She could, so any word on when I can return?"

"Sorry, no. I was calling you to thank you for the radio! Rick, this is exactly like my father's, and it works like it was just bought yesterday!"

"Well, I'm glad. I hope you talk to some very interesting people with it Kate."

"I think I'll use it tonight and see who I can reach with it."

Xx

Kate had not really got into talking on a HAM in a long time. Her college years while a little nerdish, and they were some of the best times she had at school.

She flipped the power switch and waited for the radio to power up, but after a minute or two nothing happened. So, she cycled it up once again. This was strange. The radio she just used last night, now would not power up. Deciding to give it a break, she needed a shower. She took one and went to her kitchen to see if she could find something to eat. She found nothing. So, she placed a call to her favorite Chinese take out restaurant and ordered her usual.

The weather is a factor when you use a HAM radio to talk to other people. She had checked the weather report and it was to be a clear night. She could hopefully reach Russia, or the Ukraine or even Poland if she were lucky, that is if she could get the radio to even turn on. Trying it one more time she found the same result. She was going to call it a night and as she started to walk away from her living room for the bedroom, without her knowing it, the radio started to power up all on its own.

It was just about 2:30 in the morning. She heard voices coming from her living room. Knowing that her apartment was locked up tight, she got out of bed threw on her robe and went to the living room. The voice had become louder as she drew nearer. She sat at the front of the radio and she found it on and receiving a man's voice. He was calling his radio call numbers out trying to find someone to talk to. He was calling CQ15, but he was getting no response to that station.

Kate grabbed the microphone and spoke clearly "Hello"

"Who's this? Are you licensed to broadcast?

"I am. Who is this?

"Name's Jim. Where are you broadcasting from?"

"Manhattan, what about yourself?" Kate asked.

"What a small world. Manhattan born and raised."

"It is a small world. So what do you do?"

"I practice law in a small firm in Manhattan. Boring stuff."

"What's your name?" He asked.

I'm Kate. Nice to talk to you."

"Likewise. My daughter is named Katie, isn't that a coincidence?"

"I hope she's a Yankee fan."

"She is, as am I. I have been to just about every home game and I try to get to Fenway sometimes three times a year for the battle with Boston. Did you watch the game tonight?" He asked her.

"What game are you talking about?"

"The world series of course, what else would I be talking about?"

This got Kate thinking. There was no game tonight because Cleveland was traveling to Chicago for game 3. The next game was set for tomorrow night.

"Are you sure about your schedule Jim? Cleveland is traveling to Chicago for game 3 tomorrow night at 8:05 pm."

"Are you sure we're talking about baseball? The Yankees beat Atlanta by a score of 7 to 2 in Atlanta. It was a great game by the way and the play that put the game away for the Yanks was when Knoblauch singled to left and that scored Brosius."

"Yeah, well…."

Kate went silent as a feeling came over that she did not like. She needed to think. The game he was talking about happened in 1999. She was 19 and she remembers exactly where she was for that game. She rose from the radio and walked to the window. Looking out, she noticed a wavy cloud above her that had shone brilliant colors of the spectrum. The pattern worked its way directly over her place and she wondered to herself if this might be the cause of what she was hearing. If only Castle was here, she'd never live this down. The fact that she was talking to a person from 1999 would really get him coming up with all kinds of theories. She walked back to the radio and to her surprise he was calling her.

"W2QYV and you still transmitting? I say again W2QYV are you still there?"

"W2QYV, I'm here. Can I ask you about this game?"

"Sure it was great. The Yanks are going to repeat winning the series just like they did last year."

"Can you tell me what year it is?"

"Come on Kate, everyone knows it's 1999!"

"Can you tell me how old your daughter is?"

"She'll be 19 next month. She's going to go to Stanford to be a lawyer just like her old man."

This can't be real. There's no way that she's talking to her father back in 1999. Oh, but if she is, a lot can be done to stop future events from coming true. She keys the mic again.

"Jim, can you tell me if there is a serial killer on the loose targeting blond women, about 5' 8" and pretty nice looking?"

"Yeah, there is. He goes after women who live alone and so far, all of them have been blondes. Why?"

"Jim, do you think that we can talk tomorrow night? There are a couple of things I want to check on."

"Check on? What do you need to check on? What do you do Kate? Sorry, I'm prying into your life but sure thing Kate. Same time tomorrow?"

"It's fine. I'm a homicide detective. And that'd be good, I'll talk to you tomorrow then."

After he signed off Kate tried to turn off the radio only to find that even after unplugging it, it didn't even shut it down. Weird. She needed to call Castle and tell him what she had just experienced, but first, she needed to look into 3XK's file to make sure that it was really him way back in 1999. The department had 6 unsolved cases from back then, and if she was right he'd take more lives in the near future. Something she'd hope to stop.


	5. Chapter 5

Kate got up early the next day, and decide to do some "extra" investigating on her own. She quickly showered, got dressed, and grab a to-go cup of coffee. Locking her door behind her making sure it was secure before she left. Her first thought was of what she would find by looking into 3XK. When he arrived at the precinct sometime around 5:30 in the morning she went directly to the archives in the basement. It was strange but he had one whole shelf for his crimes alone. Pulling the oldest banker's box from the shelf, she notes the dates on the outside of the box started in 1998. Putting that banker's box on the desk she took a seat and lifted the lid off the box. He pulled out 98's file folder and opened it. While it did not list any of his crimes for that year, it did they give her psych reports, and his medical history. She pulled out the next year's file folder 1999. And what was written in report was nothing that she could use to determine if it was actually him who committed these crimes. He was arrested and questioned, but that's as far as it went. The detective investigating the case decided that he had a solid alibi after confirming it, and he was released. They still had no viable suspect in the Susan Schaffer murder. But she had a feeling in her gut that it was him. He just found a way to circumvent the system. Next, she pulled up 2000 case file. Kate was surprised when she opened it because the file contained nothing at all. It was the '01 file that held the murders she was looking for. She made notes of the three victims' names and shuffled through the rest of the files.

Xx

Rick was having trouble. He tried to write knowing he had a chapter due by the week's end, but he still couldn't write a damn word. He missed the precinct with a passion. But most of all, he missed Kate. He wondered if she ever got through to Russia or some far-off land. He should give her a call just to see if she did get through to anyone or another country. The being that it was 8 o'clock in the morning, he decided to wait until lunch time when he knew she have time to talk. So, as he looked back at his computer screen he's sees he had only written a paragraph and a half. And even that sucks. He moves the cursor holding down the right mouse button, highlights it all, and then deletes the entire paragraph and a half. He'll start over and try to come up with something that sounds like he's an accomplished writer. He needs coffee. He gets up from his desk walk to the kitchen and pours himself a cup. Fixing it just the way he likes, he heads back to his office. Then a thought hits him on how to get him motivated to finish the chapter he needs to turn in. It will be close, but he thinks he can pull it off with what he has in his mind. He sat down and before he knew it his fingers connected to his brain and started typing out his idea before he lost it. When he looks at his watch again, I can't believe he's been typing the past three and a half hours. He finished the chapter that was due, and, he started the next one. He decided that he needed to take a break to get something to eat. He's back up from his office and into the kitchen to search around something to eat. Then he remembers that he wanted to talk to Kate. He pulls his phone from his pocket, and dials. She answers on the third ring.

"Beckett" she said strongly.

"Kate, it's Castle. Can you talk?"

"I can spare a few minutes Rick."

"So, how did the radio work last night? Did you talk to any faraway lands? Or was it a bust because of the weather phenomenon?"

"What phenomenon are you talking about Rick? The weather forecast showed it to be clear I should have been able to talk to Poland or even China for that matter."

"Weren't you outside last night at all? Last night, there was a spectacular light show in the sky! It was amazing. I think it had something to do with the Aurora Borealis. But just as quickly as it started, it ended."

"Rick, when did this phenomenon happen?

"I'd say it was early in the morning sometime around 2 maybe. But only lasted for about an hour. After that, the skies were clear as a bell."

Now more than ever she knew she was talking to 1999. With an atmospheric disturbance like this it could be the reason she received transmissions from a different decade. But she wouldn't know for sure until she got back home tonight and tried again. Not wanting to give Castle anything more to go on, she told him that she decided to wait until tonight because she was tired last night and didn't use the radio.

"Actually, Rick I was really tired last night so when I got home I just had something to eat and then hit the bed. If I have time tonight I might try to reach somebody."

"Well, I'm glad you have it, Kate. Maybe you can make a couple of new friends."

"I hope so, but we'll see what tonight brings."

Kate ended the call promising Rick to tell him what she heard after using the radio tonight. Right now, she had to go back to the case involving Mr. Russo. She took in the murder board as she ate her lunch. This case was going nowhere. She might send Espo and Ryan back out to canvas the apartment building once more hoping they could find something new. But she didn't put that much faith in it. Before she knew it, it was time to call it a day. She shut down her computer, grabbed her coat and bag said goodbye to the boys.

"Beckett, if you're leaving now then so are we." Ryan said.

"Sure, guys I don't have a problem with that, but you better clear it with the captain first." Kate throws her coat over her shoulder as she walked toward the elevator.

On the way home, she stopped at her favorite restaurant, again. She was really getting tired of takeout food almost every night and she needs something wholesome maybe a home cooked meal she thought to herself. Maybe if she sees her dad this weekend, he might have something cooked up they can share together. Getting to the take out restaurant she paid for her food and headed towards her apartment.

Xx

Rick was really glad that he got the radio for Kate as a gift. He's not ashamed about the way he went about it to acquire it but he would own up to taking it if he was ordered to. He thinks back to the favors that he did for LT. His daughter wanted to see Taylor Swift concert and a Justin Bieber concert. He was able to get front row seats for both shows. When LT came in the next day after each concert he was so grateful that Rick got him the tickets. His daughter was way beyond impressed. As long as LT looked good in his daughter's eyes that's all that mattered. He would have gladly paid LT to get the evidence (the radio) but he knew LT would never accept cash. After the ended the phone call with Kate he went back to see if he can add more to the chapter he started earlier. This proved to be a bust. So, he just sat there and thought about where to go with the chapter.

Xx

Setting her takeout food on the kitchen table, she glanced at the radio. She knew that there had to be a logical reason she was talking to someone in the past. She ate her food and finished. After cleaning up, she decided to try one more time talking on the radio. She powered up the unit, and to her surprise it started to warm up. She waited a minute before she keyed the mic.

"W2QYV are you out there?"

She got nothing in return. Waiting a second she tried again.

"W2QYV calling Jim. Are you there?"

"Well as I live and breathe, Kate is that you?"

She was flooded with relief. At least in the last 24 hours he still seemed to be alive. But what she needed him to do would probably get him killed. That is if he would agree to do it.

"So, Jim, no baseball game tonight?"

"Kate I'm actually watching it as we talk. So, don't mind me if I wander from the radio every once in a while."

"I completely understand. Hey if we're still on when the game is over let me know who won it."

"Sure thing, Kate." He told her with his passion for the game spilling over.

"Jim, can I ask a favor of you, now you're free to say no if you don't think you want anything to do with this and I mean any part of this."

"Kate, you sound way too serious. Is everything okay?"

"Jim, this has to do with the 3 XK killer. You know I'm a detective, and I know you're a lawyer, but these people that have been murdered deserve justice. If I can stop something from happening, then there will be a lot of happy families around now."

"It's true I'm a lawyer. But Kate I have no training in the field of being a detective. I wouldn't be using a gun would I."

"No Jim, nothing that drastic. But I'll need you to look into someone if you can. Three days from now on Saturday night there will be a murder in Chelsea. This killer, 3 XK will take a young girl's life and the whole cycle will start over again."

"What cycle Kate? What exactly are you talking about?"

"Jim, this man kills people in sets of three. Once he kills his third victim, he disappears for year or two. We have no leads on him as it is right now, but you, you could help."

"Well this seems like a tall order, how do I go about saving someone's life?"

"Jim, this is going to sound far-fetched, crazy in fact but what I need you to do is to go down to Chelsea and intercept a girl named Susan Schaffer. She works as a secretary in Midtown. And she likes to go to a bar close to her place in Chelsea after she gets out of work. She stands 5 foot 8, weighs about 115, blonde hair and hazel eyes."

"Kate, I can't guarantee anything. How am I supposed to intercept her? She'll probably think I'm a lunatic!"

"Jim, all you need to do is talk to her. Keep her busy for about 3 hours use your charm. Her murder happens at 8:40 on Saturday night."

"Kate, how do you know this information? This hasn't happened yet and you seem to know the time she's killed."

She couldn't give away that she was living in 2016. If she did he'd think she was off her rocker. So, she lied to him.

"Just a lucky guess. Can I count on you, Jim?"

"I'll try Kate. I can't force her to talk to me, but I'll try."

She hoped she was doing the right thing...


	6. Chapter 6

Jim Beckett was beyond nervous. He had never done anything like this, ever! He arrived at the bar that Susan like to go to after work according to Kate a little bit early. He figured that if he got there before she did he'd be quicker recognizing her as she came through the door. His friend Kate had given him a description of the 3XK killer. As he scanned the bar area, the booths, and tables he noticed no one matching the description that Kate gave him. He checked his watch for the second time in the course of 10 minutes. He wondered if he didn't intercept Susan, would this 3XK killer actually carry out her murder. As he sat at the bar conveniently positioned close to the entryway, he ordered a scotch on the rocks. He asked the bartender set up a tab for him. He had just taken his second sip of the scotch when the front door opened and in walked Susan with a friend following her in.

Jim could deal with one woman, but he had no idea how to deal with her friend. As he made casual eye contact with Susan he felt guilty. He was after all a married man. But the thought of someone losing their life when he could prevent it, he's sure his wife would understand. He noticed Susan get up from her table while her friend stayed behind and she walked over to him.

"Hello." Susan said in greeting.

"Hi there, do you come here often!"

Jim felt like an ass. That was one of the worst lines he had ever used. Boy, he was glad he was married!

"I do come to this place often. This is one of my favorite places to unwind after a long stressful day."

"Well, I'm glad you have a place to relax and think about your day."

"So, what's your name? I'm Susan by the way."

"Oh, it's nice to meet you, Susan. I'm Jim."

"Likewise, Jim. What do you do for a living?"

"I'm an attorney, at a small law firm on Park Avenue."

"Seriously! My brother just graduated from Yale."

"Well, another attorney on this planet probably won't hurt us."

Susan giggles a little at his comment.

Then out of the corner of his eye, he sees a man that matches the description that Kate gave him earlier. He follows the man as he walks across the bar floor. He sees him sit down at a table in a secluded part of the bar. He keeps an eye on him while he talks to Susan. Whoever this guy is, he's trouble.

"So, Susan what do you do for work?"

"I work as a paralegal. So, we're not far from the same profession but you're a lawyer and I'm only a glorified secretary."

"Don't think of it like that, your job is important. Jim stated.

The conversation went on and each found out different things about the other. He couldn't believe that someone was going to kill this woman. As they were talking he kept his eye on the new visitor who kept looking at him. He put it off until he could no longer wait. He needed to use the restroom. So, he politely excused himself from Susan, he got up and headed to the restroom. What he didn't notice was that the visitor had done the same thing.

He could see his shadow through the frosted glass while he stood at the urinal and waited before he made his move. Jim was still answering the call of nature when he heard the bathroom door open. Not expecting anything, he finished up and made his way over to the sinks. It was then when he felt something hard hit his head. He went down like a load of bricks and then he felt a swift kick to his ribcage. He was gasping for breath, then another kick came to his rib cage again. Then he was picked up by his jacket collar and was asked,

"Are you fucking following me?"

Since he couldn't catch his breath to answer the man he just nodded shaking his head back and forth. He didn't want to give up what he was trying to do by saving Susan.

"Listen pal, I think you're doing just that! And I'm going to put a stop to once and for all. I hope you get the message."

The next thing Jim does is close his eyes because he knew what was coming as he felt next was the butt of a gun right between his eyes.

Daryl Simpson was no fool. He knew this guy had been following him, so he relieved him of his wallet. He then pulled his driver's license and committed the address and his hair color, date of birth, height and weight to memory and then stuck the license in his back pocket. Now that he knew where he lived to keep an eye on him from a distance. He went back outside to the bar to meet up with Susan. He was going to get what he came here for.

When he came to about an hour later, his wallet was on the floor missing his driver's license. He knew it was Daryl that took it to get his information. He got up quickly, splashed some water on his face and left the bathroom. When he walked into the bar, Susan was long gone. He couldn't even find her friend either.

But he had her address from Kate. He ran out of the bar, stopped by the street to get his bearings and headed in the direction of Susan's apartment. It was close, so he ran all the way there. Climbing three flights of stairs he stopped in front of her door.

"SUSAN!"

He continued to beat on the door calling out her name.

"SUSAN, Open up."

When there was no answer he decided to bend the facts just a little.

"POLICE! Open the door now!"

Hearing only his own labored breathing. He had to get into her apartment. He removed a credit card from his wallet and slipped it against the lock plate and the door catch. Forcing the door opened he spied a neighbor watching him with concern. He quickly closed the door to keep prying eyes from seeing anything more.

The place was ransacked. The lamp was thrown to the floor and the arm chair was tipped over. He cautiously walked further into her apartment. He noticed that the window curtain was blowing in the from the window being wide open. He noticed a shoe by the side of the bed and as he followed the shoe, his eyes led him to her body lying on the floor stripped of her dress. She was only in her bra and panties. There was blood all over her midsection and on the floor. Then he panicked. He turned and ran out of the apartment. He knew it would look like he was the person who killed her so he just ran. He made it home in less than a half hour after flagging down a cab to get him home.

Xx

The first thing he did was go to his radio. He had to talk to Kate. He had failed. He needs to tell her what happened. He keyed the mic,

"Kate, are you there?"

There was no response on her end.

"Kate, I need to talk to you, please, please answer me!"

Xx

Kate was at the 12th. When she arrived, she started towards her desk but changed direction to see Ryan and Espo. She needed to ask them about the 3XK murders.

"Espo, Ryan have we found out any information on Susan Shaffer the first person murdered by 3XK?" She asked.

They both looked at her with disconcerted looks for two reasons. The first was that they were neck deep in the Russo case and the second well, they thought she was going off the reservation.

"Beckett, are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well, it's really odd that you'd bring up a case that's been cold for years."

Espo looked at Ryan before continuing.

"Beckett, who's Susan Schaffer?"

Kate went pale instantly. She needed to leave now. Right now.

"Guys, there is something I need to check on. I'll be back in about two hours, so cover for me, please….


	7. Chapter 7

She knew that they had done something in the past, something major. She just didn't know what. Then, all at once the memories of her mother had changed. Parts of her were missing from what she did remember, and new memories had been added. It was weird. She rushed up to her apartment and was hoping that Jim was going to be on the air. She swung the door open and slammed it shut. She headed over to the HAM and started to broadcast on their frequency. She received nothing in return. So, she tried to sift through the new memories that flooded her head. She remembers all the memories when her mother was there at just about every milestone in her life, right up until she had dinner with them only five days ago. There she had told them both that Rick was booted from the precinct and that she felt that she could start something with him in the future.

She had been thinking about these memories when she was startled by her phone ringing. Without even looking at the caller ID she answered.

"Beckett."

"Kate? What's wrong?" Rick could tell that there was something wrong when she answered just by the tone of her voice.

"Rick, what has you thinking that there's something wrong?" She asked.

"Oh, well for starters the way you snapped when you answered."

"Rick, I'm fine. It's nothing just forget about it."

He knew that she was not fine. Something had her rattled. So, he tried to be somewhat gentle but leaning more on the firmer side to ask her what was wrong.

"Kate, sometimes situations just have a way of sneaking up on us and knocking us for a loop. I'm sure you'll figure this out in time."

She thought that he was sweet. He'd give her the moon if she asked him for it and that got her thinking that she should maybe tell him what had happened with the talks that she was having with Jim. She was met with him calling her name over the phone.

"Kate, are you there?"

Coming out of her thoughts she answered him.

"Yeah, Rick I'm here. Listen, can you come over so we can talk about my mom?"

"Kate, you know that you can't bring her back. But yes, I'd be glad to help you work through whatever's on your mind."

She was about to agree with what he said but stopped suddenly, feeling a strange feeling of loss.

"Rick, what are you talking about?"

"Why your mom of course. Who else would I be talking about?"

"What about my mom?" She demanded, not really wanting an answer.

"Kate, I know that it's been a hard subject for you to deal with. I know that the therapist that you are seeing helps a lot with what is going on in your head. You've come so far since her death."

She dropped her phone and just went blank.

"Kate, Kate are you there?" Rick asked worriedly.

Kate finding her bearings had come back to the phone and asked Rick,

"Rick, please answer me with an honest answer okay?"

"Okay, Kate I will, always."

"When did my mom die?"

Rick had wondered if this was her way of trying to get him to slip up by testing him.

"Kate, are you sure that you're alright?"

"Rick just answer the damned question!"

"Whoa, Kate I'll tell you, just give me time to explain."

"I'm sorry Rick. But I need to know when exactly this happened."

"Okay, Kate. It happened on January 9, 1999. Your mom as it turns out was the first victim of the 3XK killer. Why are you asking me something that you already know about, what you have obsessed about ever since it has happened?"

She had never done this. Now she knows that whatever Jim has done had a different outcome in the future. She needed to speak to him. But first, she needed to get Rick over here to tell him what she was mixed up in.

"Rick, could you possibly come over to my place?"

"Sure, Kate but why?"

"There's something I need to tell you about. Something that you're never going to believe."

Always one to find out about the unknown, he agrees.

"I'll be right over. Have you eaten today?" He asked knowing that she didn't.

"Food would be good Rick. Thanks."

He hangs up and calls in an order of her favorite Chinese food near her apartment. He'll pick it up on the way over. He makes sure he has his keys, wallet, and some cash then he leaves.

She needed to talk to Jim. There was no doubt in her mind that they inadvertently changed what happened back in the past. She just needed to know what that was. She walks up to the radio and keys the mic.

"Jim are you out there?" She asks desperately.

The radio crackles with static for a second then she hears his voice, strained but there.

"Kate, where have you been? I think something has happened and not for the better."

"Jim, tell me exactly what happened at the bar. Don't leave anything out."

"Okay. I got to the bar a little early so I would be able to spot her as she came in. I was nursing a scotch and sitting at the bar.

"Then what happened?"

"Well, she arrived around 6:30 and we made eye contact. She came over and we started talking about what we did for a living."

"Go on."

Then about 10 minutes later a man arrived that matched the description you gave me as the killer. I really had to use the restroom and he jumped me in there. He said that I was following him around. He hit me with the butt of his gun knocking me out and then he took my driver's license right out of my wallet."

"Did he take your wallet?" She asked.

"No. he tossed it onto the floor but kept the license.

"Jim, you still have the wallet? And how long were you out for?"

"I'd say it was about an hour before I came to. I still have my wallet but Kate, he knows where I live now." He added with alarm.

"Jim I think that this is the least of our problems. Let me ask you this, what do you remember about him, please be detailed, alright?"

"He was in his late 20's early 30's about 5'10" and weighed about 190. Dark hair and he had a fading scar on his neck."

Xx

Rick was already walking away from the Chinese restaurant with the food. Arriving at her door he had decided to surprise her so he used his key and opened the door. As he entered he noticed that she was at her desk talking on the radio. It amazed him that she was able to talk to another person from a different country. He set the food down on the table and quietly walked up behind her.

"Jim, what you need to do is get me something I can use to identify who he is. Something concrete."

Rick stopped in his tracks mid step. He quietly places his foot down on the hardwood floor and listened to what was being said. From what he heard on the way in she was not talking to anyone in another country.

"Kate, what do I need to get for you, and how am I going to get it to you. You're in the next decade."

"Jim I'll figure something out. Just give me a minute."

Rick stood there as she thought. And so did he. He might not have known who she was talking to but he needed more information to help her.

"Jim, you said you still have your wallet, right?"

"I do why?"

"Jim listen to me very carefully. Take your wallet out and be careful when you do. Handle it by the edges. We got him!"

"Kate, I don't understand, I'm not a cop."

"Jim his prints are on the wallet. I need you to place it into a plastic bag and seal it up."

"Kate, that still won't help you. How are you going to get it?"

Rick who had pieced together the basics of what he was hearing and he had an idea.

"Kate, tell him to place his wallet in a place that won't be disturbed for the next 15 years. Somewhere that you both know about. A safe place."

Kate almost fell off the desk chair. He had scared the crap out of her with his voice.

"Rick?"

"Kate just tell him."

Kate thought for a second and if she was right and this was her father living in their house back then, then she had a very safe place in mind to put his wallet.

"Da- Jim I want you to put your wallet in the upstairs bedroom to the left. There's a floorboard in that room that's loose. Hide it under there."

"Okay Kate, hang on a second."

She hears him run up the stairs and she does the same. As he calls out, he tells her that the wallet is under the floorboard, she lifts it up and to her surprise, it materializes right in front of her. She picks up the bag and almost runs into Rick as she leaves. She gets back downstairs and tells him that she has it.

"Wow. I did not think that would work." He said awestruck in a whisper.

Rick had followed her back downstairs and was just watching her. He had an idea about who she was talking to and wanted to confirm what he thought.

"Jim, I have it. We got him! I'll run his prints and I'll talk to you as soon as I do."

Kate turned with the intention of leaving for the crime lab to run the prints. That was until she noticed Rick with his hand up, palm facing her asking her to stop.

"Kate, what's going on here?"

"Rick, it's a really long and pretty unbelievable story. One, I don't think even you would believe!"

"Oh, I don't know Kate… Why don't you try me? Better yet, let me tell you what I think is happening." He was just a little upset with the fact that she had kept it to herself, that she was actually talking to someone on the radio when she had lied to him the other night.

Kate wanted nothing to do with his outlandish theories. She just wanted to nail this guy and he was stopping her from doing that. That was until he opened his mouth.

"Kate what I think is that you have found a way to talk to your dad somewhere in the past. I'm not sure when, but I could hear his voice. And I'll tell you that's a voice I'll never forget since we have met in person."

Kate just stopped. She stood looking at him with a deceitful look. When he looked at her, he cringed a little.

"Yes, Kate I have met your dad. It's a long story, one which I'll tell you later. But now there's this "thing" hanging over us and I want to know how close on target I am."

She hesitated for about a second trying to decide how to tell him what was going on.

"Your right Rick. When you mentioned the atmospheric weather conditions the other night, I was able to reach out to him."

"He is your dad, right?"

"Yes."

He extended his hand and she looked at him with question.

"Come on Kate, let's get going!"

Rick stood there offering his hand for her to take while he wiggled his fingers at her. So, she did. She interlocked their hands together and then they left.


	8. Chapter 8

Having decided to wait for the results from the prints that would take about an hour to complete, she reaches out for Rick's arm. She pulled him over to the chairs opposite from the desk of the crime lab tech. Once they're both seated she decides how she's going to tell him exactly what she's been doing for the past three days so she starts hesitantly.

"Rick, I really wasn't trying to deceive you when I told you that I hadn't spoken to anybody on the radio. But when I got in contact with my father it was like I was a kid all over again. Now I'm not sure, but I think he's talking to someone other than his daughter. If that's true, I should be in Stanford attending my first year in law school."

"Kate you know you need to tell him who you really are. It's only going to go better for you in the long run. But, I think he's already suspicious. You mention things to him that he must remember and he knows that there's a connection between the two of you."

"I know Rick. But I don't know how he's going to take it if I do tell him the truth. If it were you what would you think?"

"Kate, I'm always one who believes in the impossible. What you're doing now is only going to raise his suspicions that much more. You told him you were a cop, right?"

"I did. At first, I didn't want him to get suspicious thinking I was just some lunatic."

"Let me get this straight, you're a cop and he knows this. I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that if you tell him that you're his daughter what his reaction will be. He might wonder why you did not become a lawyer, no, he won't wonder he'll question your choices."

"Rick I agree with you unequivocally. I will tell him, right after I get the results from the prints, and I figure out what we're going to do next."

"Okay, Kate. But I want to be there when this happens."

"Sure, Rick. I wouldn't have it any other way."

The CSU Tech walks back out from his lab, and he eyes Kate suspiciously. He steps up to his desk and takes his seat placing the folder in front of him with the results.

"Detective, I just need to know why you would be running these prints when they're already on file?"

Kate does a double-take between Rick and the CSU Tech. Once her eyes settle back on the folder from them, she becomes a little frightened.

"What do you mean they're already on file?"

"I mean just what I said. These prints already on file within the NYPD."

"Whose, are they?" Kate asks hoping she's wrong about what she thinks.

"The prints you gave me come back to a detective from the 1st Precinct. He's been on the job for over 15 years."

"Who is this Detective?"

"Detective Beckett, unless you have a warrant or a really good reason to know the identity of this detective I'm going to have to decline to answer you."

Kate had to think on the fly. Yeah, she needed to make up something that sounded like she was going to help this detective. So, she looks to Rick winks at him hoping he'll go along with what she has in mind.

"Actually, I do have a good reason. These prints were found at a crime scene and I'm just trying to eliminate NYPD personnel from the suspect."

Kate nonchalantly nudges Rick with her elbow. And he gets the idea.

"She's right. The scene was chaotic and the personnel who were there thought that the suspect was still in the apartment so not all of them were wearing gloves. We're just trying to eliminate the team that was investigating from that of the suspect."

"Well, that seems a good enough reason for me. Detective Beckett the prints come back to one Daryl Simpson. He's been with the NYPD for the last 16 years. He was injured in the line of duty from a gunshot to the leg during a botched robbery he responded to as a beat cop. He survived but he now walks with a limp."

"Thank you." Kate said. She then turned to Rick grabbing his arm and pulled him towards the exit. When they get to her car they both get in. But Rick has a couple of things to bring up.

"Kate, you know what this means right?"

"Yeah, I do. It seems that the person we have associated with 3XK is actually a cop."

"This isn't going to be easy." Rick stated the obvious.

"It never is Rick."

He had noticed recently that Kate was no longer calling him by his surname she was using his first name. Maybe there was something more with them starting here. He could only hope.

"Rick, we need to go back to my apartment and talk to Jim again. He needs to know who this is and when the next murder will occur."

"Kate, are you sure this is wise? I mean he is your father and what if something happens to him."

"Rick I have total faith of my father. He needs to do this for me."

"Why?"

"Because Rick. We changed something in the past. In the past when this guy killed Susan, he waited for about six months before he struck again. Somehow when my father intervened he changed the way he killed his next victim. He didn't wait the 6 months that he originally did back in the past. Instead, he chose another woman about two weeks later."

"Kate, who did he kill next?"

"Kate?"

"Rick, he murdered my mom."

Rick is stunned. He can't believe that she lost her mother to this psychopath. But now as he thinks about it, she does need to tell her father who is next. This way they might be able to save her.

"Kate, let's get moving. The quicker he knows who's going to get killed next the better."

They drive in quiet silence, each with thoughts about what they're about to do. Rick has so many questions, but he'll wait till they get back to her apartment to ask them. When they get back, the radio is off. Kate sits down desk, flips the power switch, and the radio comes alive once again. She keys the mic and calls his name.

"Jim are you there?"

Rick places his hand on her shoulder to give her comfort. So, with his assurances, she tries one more time.

"Jim, it's Kate. I need you to answer me it's important."

For a second all they hear is static. But then the radio comes alive when he speaks to her.

"Kate thank God. Where have you been?"

"Jim, there is a lot we need to talk about. First, I know who the killer is. He's a cop who masquerades as a serial killer. You going to have to stop him."

"Kate, that's easier said than done. I'm not a cop remember? I'm a lawyer and the last time we met, he kind of handed me my ass. So, this time I think we better have a plan where that doesn't happen again."

Kate and Rick both give a chuckle to his comment. The only thing she can do is teach him how to be more secretive as he hunts down 3XK/Daryl. She can't give him any hand in hand combat lessons because they are about a decade and a half apart. As Kate tells Jim about the next victim, so Rick wanders around her apartment still listening to the radio conversation going on behind him. He looks at all her keepsakes, pictures, and knick-knacks. As he moves down the hallway towards the bedroom, Kate looks up from the radio and gives him a look that says you shouldn't be heading down that way. He recognizes the look any heads back to her. Since she just wrapping up all the information for the next murder, now is a good time to get some answers to his questions while Jim is still there. Very quietly the whispers to Kate,

"Kate, I have a couple questions for you and your father. But I need to know if his memories of your mom and yours are the same."

"Rick, if I ask him these questions he's going to know that I'm his daughter. This might be a setback for us if we do."

"What I do believe is that if you have the same memories, then this will all work out."

"Okay, Rick. We'll try it your way. I just don't know how he's going to take this."

"Jim, there's something I need to tell you, but I don't know how to tell you."

"Kate, the best approach is always the honest one. So, say what you must."

"Jim it's not a coincidence that we are talking to each other. The other night when I first started talking to you, there was a weather anomaly happening when we started to talk. Jim this may come as a shock to you, but I'm your daughter in 2012."

"You know, I had a feeling about you. There were just too many little things that you knew about me. So, Kate, you're a cop now? What happened to you becoming a lawyer?"

"Dad before we get into that I have someone here I want you to talk to."

Rick pulled the second chair alongside Kate's. She slid the mic over in front of him and she gave him a nod.

"Hello, Mr. Beckett. My name is Rick. I'm a good friend of your daughter's."

"It's nice to meet someone that she's friends with. How are you, Rick?"

"I'm doing well thank you. But I do have some questions about your wife's murder. If it's not too painful can you tell me what you remember?"

"Murder? What are you talking about Rick?"

This is going all wrong. While Kate is in the present she had already experienced her mother's murder. Apparently, it hasn't happened back in Jim's time…. yet. He needs to recover and quickly. But just as he's about to say something when Kate saves him.

"Dad listen to me, mom is going to be murdered in about week and a half from now. But you need to stop the next murder from happening and maybe this if you do mom will be spared."

"Katie, this changes everything. Your damn right I'm going to stop this guy."

"Okay, Dad. I'm going to call you back in about an hour or two. I need to get everything set up so you can stop this guy."

"Sure Katie, I'll just be watching the baseball game never leaving the radio"

Kate turns to Rick and pulled him up from the chair ushering him into the kitchen.

"Rick, we have to save my mom. I can't lose her."

"Kate tell me what you remember of your mom."

"It's a little weird, this is tough to explain but I'll try. Rick, I have all these memories of my mom up until last week, but I also have memories when from she died. It's like they both combined together and I can't sort them out. It's like I'm waking up from a dream and I can't sort out what's real and what isn't. I know that I can't lose her."

"Kate, we'll save her somehow. We need to stay focused on keeping her from becoming a murder victim."

"I just wish I knew how to do that."


	9. Chapter 9

Kate was a wreck. She needs to know that he was successful in stopping the next murder. She sits at her desk and wonders what she was going to do if he didn't. Rick steps up behind her and as he places his hands on her shoulders and he can feel her tense up just a little bit.

"Kate, it'll be okay. Let's just give him the time he needs to get this done."

"Rick, what if he can't get it done?"

"Why worry about something until he tells us what happened? It's needless. I'll bet that you haven't eaten anything today?" He gives her a stern look knowing that he's right.

Kate looks away from him and tries to hide her face knowing that he's right.

"You're right Rick. I haven't eaten anything all day."

"Then should I call for take out to be delivered or can I interest you in one of my own concoctions?"

"Surprise me." The second she said that she regretted it. She knew that her fridge was just about empty. He'd need to perform a miracle in order to make her anything from her fridge.

"Challenge accepted!" He bellowed.

She watches as he turns away from her and heads to her kitchen. When he pulls open the door to the fridge, his face distorts in a way that she's never seen from him before. But he still manages to pull a couple of unrecognizable items out from her fridge that she never knew were in there. He closes the door with a handful of food and says,

"Kate, don't worry. I've worked with less. Soon we'll be eating like a king and a queen."

She's content with watching him as he shifts around her kitchen. It's then when the radio comes alive once more. She turns towards it and listens.

"Kate, are you there?" She hears Jim call.

She forgets all about Rick and rushes over to her desk.

"Jim I'm here. Please tell me what happened."

"Kate I did it! I was able to save her. I persuaded her to come with me and she was nowhere near the possible crime scene. You need to check your files to see if she is still alive in your time. Please! I need t know if this worked."

Kate pulls out her case files for the murders and sorts through them. As he sorts through them, she sees that the first victim that 3XK had murdered was not the same person as the one that Jim had just saved.

"Dad, you did it. The first person that 3XK murdered wasn't murdered until a week later. So now we have a little breathing room."

"Katie, I'm glad to hear this. But what about your mother?" Jim asked with a fearful tone.

"Dad, we still lose her. But if we are able to alter your future, we might be able to find a way to avoid her murder."

Rick sat there and listened to father and daughter as they talked all about their lives since they discovered each other. He is amazed that they have a connection between each other. There's so much they could do the possibilities were endless. As their conversation reaches a stall, Rick hears a door open and close on Jim's end.

"Mom, dad?" Rick would know that voice anywhere. It's Kate, a younger Kate, but it's her. When Jim calls out his location in the house, he hears her walk in and greet her father.

"Hi, Katiebug!"

"Hey, dad."

"How was school? Did you talk to the guidance counselor about your choice regarding Stanford University?"

"I did. She told me that the law department is one of the top five in the country. She was able to give me a list of classes that I need to look at if I'm sure that I want to pursue a career in law."

Kate listens to her younger self and dad talk about college and thinks back to that very same conversation. She was so ready then to go to college and then and later that night she remembered researching everything she could find about Stanford law classes.

Younger Kate had left to study for a test in school the following day. It was then when Kate and her dad started to talk to each other in depth.

"So Katie, how old are you now? You must be married by now, right?"

"Dad, I'm 35." Kate looks to Rick with a smile before she answers. "And no dad I'm not married. But I have my eye on someone."

Rick just stood there with his mouth hanging open.

"Katie, you never told me why you became a cop. What happened?"

"Dad, mom was murdered. I wanted to become a lawyer, but I switched gears and applied to the NYPD. I thought I could give her case the closure we all needed."

"Katie, this is not the way to live your life. You need to live and let this go, it will do nothing but eat away at you."

"I know dad.

She decided to get off the subject of her mom. She wanted to know when he had known he was in love with her mom.

"Dad, tell me how you met mom."

"Katie, that is a story that you'll love. I met her at a company Christmas party. She tried to play hard to get, but I found a way to her heart."

Their conversation went on and Rick listened to every word. When Kate told her dad about cell phones, he was almost laughing at how Jim thought they worked. It wasn't until Kate told him that there were satellites in orbit that made cell phone communication possible. He thought a cell phone was the size of a field radio that was used in the war. She told him that they could fit into the palm of your hand.

"No dad it's true, you bought a 1969 Pontiac GTO. It was canary yellow, 370 hp, and a Hurst 4 speed."

"Katie, I never owned a GTO."

"But you will dad, you will."

Deciding that it was late Kate wanted to sign off. So she told her dad that she was going to go. He only had one thing to tell her.

"Katie, I love you."

"I love you too dad." She said as a tear rolled down her cheek.

With that, she ended the transmission. She looked at Rick who looked a little sad when she did.

"You miss him don't you?"

Yeah, I do. He was different back them. He was more carefree, an easy-going man. Seeing him now I can see that her death has taken a toll on him."

Thinking that he might have overstayed his welcome, he rises from his position from the desk and picks up his jacket ready to head home.

"Rick?" Kate asked when she noticed his obvious departure.

"Kate, it's late and you need rest. I'll only be bothering you by asking you more questions that will keep you up later that you had planned."

 _She can't believe this man. He would bow out to make sure that she was well rested._

Rick, it's a quarter to three in the morning. There's no way that I'm going to let you go home at this hour."

"Kate I'm a grown man, I can get home just fine. I really don't think on the off chance that there is someone waiting out there to attack me."

"Never the less I'd be in a better frame of mind if you stayed with me tonight."

He looked at her seriously. She was always guarded with her personal life. She never let on to anyone about what she was feeling when it came to benevolence.

"Kate, what are you suggesting?" He asked.

"Rick I would just feel better if you stayed here tonight. We're both adults, and I think that we can share a bed with no funny stuff happening. Right?"

"We can. But I'm warning you I tend to snuggle."

"That wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

God this woman is going to be the death of him yet. He has problems reading her sometimes, well most of the time but now he's totally lost.

"Alright, Kate. I'll stay."

They locked up for the night and turned off most of the lights. She reached for his hand and guided him back to her bedroom. She gave him a new toothbrush, a pair of well-worn sweatpants and a t-shirt. All of which he used when she told him where the bathroom was. She had changed by the time he was finished so she went to the bathroom to brush. When she came back he was already ensconced under her comforter and sheets. She slipped under the sheets and said,

"Good night Rick."

"Good Night Kate."

Soon they were fast asleep each dreaming about each other.


	10. Chapter 10

Rick laid there in what was quickly becoming the early hour of the morning. He thought back to the night before when she asked him to stay at her place. He was all set to throw on his coat, grab his keys and leave. But it was if a switch had been thrown inside of her. When she suggested that he stay with her, there was no hesitation in her decision. So now he finds himself in Kate's bed and even though they agreed with him staying there with her, he was to behave, but he felt that his promise was quickly fading. He looked at her sleeping form lying not six inches away from him. She was beautiful in every way he looked at her. Even now with her bed head hair, she was stunning. He felt her roll just a bit towards him, most likely seeking out his warmth. At first, he moved away slightly avoiding her. She settled once again and he stared at the ceiling trying to regain his self-control. It was about five minutes later when he felt it. She was writhing where she slept. It scared him at first because he was not expecting it. But as he looked at her he could tell she was in the throes of what had to be a bad nightmare. He looked down at her fists and they were clenched together tightly. Actually, her knuckles were turning white. He thought about waking her up but he decided against it. It was about two minutes later when she went completely still.

In her dream, she has a flood of new memories entering her head. Memories of her father were already there, but integrated on top of them was the loss of her mother while the ones she did have were now gone. The new memories mixed together and gave her a timeline from when she lost her mother to the present day. She felt like she was struggling with all this new information. She needed to wake up and soon, and it would all be just a bad dream. She tried to figure out how this came about because the last time she talked to her father, her mother was alive.

Rick just laid there he didn't know what to do she was still asleep. He had to use the bathroom so he gently removes the covers and slipped from her bed. Trying to be as quiet as possible he took care of business, washed his hands, and checked on her one last time. He walked into the kitchen desperately seeking his morning caffeine rush. He found what he needed to get her old antiquated coffee maker brewing a pot of life-sustaining coffee. He sat down at the kitchen table and waited for the brew cycle to complete. As he did, he thought about all the ways that they could change future events. They could be millionaires, but he already was a millionaire so no need there. They could save lives by being in the right place at the right time, 9/11 could be stopped, they could intercept Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols, Sandy Hook, and Columbine school shootings would never happen, the list was endless. It wasn't until Kate was standing right in front of him when he stopped thinking about what they could do. He was at eye level with her waist. He kept staring at her standing there in a pair of purple boy shorts and an old NYPD-sponsored 5K tee shirt. She seemed to be lost in thought as she stood right in front of him basically naked.

"Rick, I had one of the worst dreams." She admitted not caring that she was basically naked.

"You did? What was it about?"

"My mom had died, but we know that didn't happen yet dad said she was alive earlier."

"Kate, the reason I'm sitting here is because you were thrashing around in the bed. I was not sure if I should wake you so, I just came out here and started a pot of coffee."

"With that ancient machine?" She questioned as she pointed to the machine on the counter.

"Of course, that's the only one I noticed on the counter."

"Rick, there's a Keurig, under the sink. Wow, I thought that thing was broken."

He just looked at her and instead of chastising her about the coffee maker, he asked about her dream.

"Kate tell me what happened in this dream of yours."

"Well, I already had the memories of my dad, those were the same. But as I remembered them, new memories overlapped what I remember of him and mom's death was there. There was the funeral, the get together afterward, and I remember being so withdrawn. Dad tried to comfort me, but I didn't want any part of it."

Rick had a thought, but he hoped that it was wrong. He'd be there for her if it was the truth. So, he told her.

"Kate do me a favor, and call you're your dad."

"What Rick? Why would I …." Rick cut her off.

"Kate humor me, just make the call."

She walked over to the counter where her phone was charging and unplugged it. She hit the speed dial for her dad's number. When it connected with the person who answered she was greeted with a cheery voice "Good afternoon, So-Ho Gallery, how can I help you?"

Kate quickly hit the end button and looked at Rick.

Seeing the look on her face, what he'd thought had happened, did. So, he told her to call one more time to see if it might have been a misdial. She did and was met with the same result, but this time the person who answered the phone hung up thinking that it was a crank call.

"Rick, what's going on?"

"Kate something happened. Your dad did something to make Daryl strike sooner rather than later. Maybe he made him think like someone was onto him, who knows. But he obviously moved up his timetable."

Kate had only one thing running through her mind. She needed to get back to the 12th and confirm this new event. She told Rick to pull his car around and meet her in front of her building. He left after getting dressed and she did the same. Meeting down at his car they rode to the precinct in silence. Both knew what they were going to find when they got there. Rushing through the lobby, Kate headed straight for the stairs bypassing the elevator. Hitting the stairway door with all of her force, she bolted up four flights of stairs like a bolt of lightning. Rick was out of breath when he reached the fourth floor. He thought he was in better shape.

The first thing she noticed was that upon exiting the stairwell on the homicide floor was the arrangement of the desks. Detectives Williams and DeBauns desks were not where they were when she left yesterday. She walked over to her desk and noticed that it was up against another desk, something else that was not the same yesterday. Castle's chair was also gone. He no longer consulted with them anymore, but his chair was there last night. She remembered the time when Rick had adjusted her chair when she confronted him with her feet swinging back and forth to show the height difference, but this chair was not the same. Re-adjusting the chair she sat at her desk and eyed the Captain. He only shrugged his shoulders and got on with his paperwork. She pulled the 3XK files out and started to sort through them. Rick just met her there out of breath.

"Kate, where's my chair?"

"Rick, I'm not sure!" Before she could give him a better answer she heard…

"Can I help you?"

"No we're good, but thanks anyway." Kate responded as she swiveled in her chair to see the person asking the question.

"I was not asking if you needed help, maybe a better way to ask this is who are you and why are you at my partner's desk?"

"Your partner's desk? This desk has been mine for the last 8 years!"

"Lady, I have no idea who you are! And who is this massive tree trunk standing next to you?"

"I'm a detective 1st grade, I work here… in homicide!"

Just then her Captain walked out of his office. As he did, Rick noticed Demming walking over to him and speaking in a hushed conversation. They both came over to the two arguing detectives.

"What seems to the issue here detective DeBaun?" The captain asked.

"Well, sir this beat cop had just taken up residence at my partner's desk thinking that she owned it."

"Officer Beckett, can I ask why you're up on the homicide floor and out of uniform in the middle of the shift?" Montgomery asked her.

Kate looked at him like he had just taken leave of his senses. She wasn't a beat cop, she was a detective. He knew that!  
But before she could form a reply, Demming chimed in.

"Officer Beckett, we've talked about this so many times! You are training with me to work in robbery, but yet, you seem to always migrate to the homicide floor, why is that? Are you unhappy with the training that I've been providing you with being a detective in robbery? I'm sure that we can kick you back to patrol and find another candidate willing to take your place, someone, who'll actually appreciate the position!"

Kate felt Rick's hand at her elbow trying to stop her from saying anything that would be a mistake.

"I am actually looking into something on my day off. I had a hunch and wanted to see if it might pan out."

The captain spoke up.

"Officer Beckett, while we appreciate your tenacity, and welcome it, it seems that you have lost your way. There are enough competent detectives that can handle this case without your input. So please before you do something that can dash your hopes at becoming a detective in robbery, I'd rethink my motives if I were you."

Kate just stood there after being dressed down by the captain. It was not until she heard Rick talking to Demming that they were going to leave when she came back to reality.

They walked back to the stairwell and out through the lobby before Kate even thought about saying anything. They made it back to his car and got in.

"Rick, what have we done?"

"Kate whatever it was, it changed the "now" and put you on a different path."

When he finished his mind went back to his earlier thoughts about writing the wrongs in the terrible events that changed so many lives and decided that maybe it was not the best information for you wield. There would always be some consequences that they would never see until time had been altered apparently for the worse.

He started the car and started the drive back to her apartment.


	11. Chapter 11

As he drove they remained silent. But he knew her, and the wheels in her head were turning. He could practically see the smoke coming from her ears so he waited. The situation was not that dire, well for her it may be because she had Demming teaching her the ins and outs of becoming a robbery detective and in his mind, that would get on anybody's nerves. They pulled up to the curb and before Kate could get out in a rush no doubt to talk to her father on the radio, her phone rang.

"Beckett" She answered.

"Officer Beckett, can you talk?"

"Yes, sir." She replied.

I've reviewed your service file. And I was not presented with the information within it until more recently."

"Sir?"

"Officer Beckett, this surprises me."

"What does, sir?"

The fact that you've received nothing but 4.0's on your fitness reports, and you now currently hold 6 academy records that have not been threatened in over 22 years. Too many, I might add. And that you graduated first in your cadet class."

"Sir what are you trying to tell me?"

"Officer Beckett, what I'm trying to tell you is it seems that I might have acted a bit too impulsively by placing you in robbery to train with Detective Demming."

Kate's eyes widened.

"Okay, sir. What do you have in mind?" Kate asked wondering where he was going with his line of questions.

"I think that your instincts are better served in homicide. I finished reading the notations you made in the case file for the 3XK cases. What I read was beyond intuitive and leads me to believe that you have a skill that would be better served in the homicide department. So as of 1600 today, you will be re-assigned to our unit. Report here tomorrow at 0700, Esposito and Ryan will get you set up and they will start working with you."

"I don't know what to say, sir."

"That's easy. Welcome to the 12th precinct Detective Beckett."

"Thank-You sir."

Kate turns to Rick and just stares at him.

"Kate?"

"Rick, Roy just made me a homicide detective."

"Well, at least one good thing came out of all of this mess."

Xx

Jim thinks about it almost constantly. The day he loses his wife. He's been aware of her death now for two days. He could tell her what might happen, but that would leave her living in fear if she ever believed him anyway. She'd always be looking over her shoulder. He can't let this happen to them. He stares at the HAM hoping that it will crackle to life giving him the information he so badly needs to get through this.

She watches him as he unwaveringly keeps his eyes on the radio. She can't figure out why he's so obsessed with this. He spends all of his time there just staring at it. She turns away and heads back to her school work. She has a test to study for and she needs to do well in to bring up her grade point average. She wants to be a lawyer, but with the school, she wants to attend being across the country, she is really giving it some thought. Maybe she'll talk to her mom tomorrow and get her opinion.

Jim startles when he hears his name being called from the radio.

"Katie, is that you?"

"Yeah, dad it's me."

"The connection today is terrible. You sound like you're in a tin can."

"Sorry dad, I'll try to clean it up on my end."

"How's that?"

"Better Katie."

"Dad, there's something I need to tell you. All of my memories about mom have changed. For me, it's like it just happened." Kate looks over to a family picture that she knew had her mom in it, but now it held only her and her dad, her mom was not in it.

"What is it, Katie?"

"Dad something we did that changed the past. Something to make it worse after you tried to save Susan Shaffer."

"Katie, all I did was try to save her, I failed to remember?"

"Dad please don't look at it like that. You tried. But what did you do after you came to at the bar?"

"I came home we talked a little more about school, and then I went to see your mother at the hospital."

"Oh shit, that's it! She wasn't supposed to be there. Remember everything is different now. Everything has changed since Susan's death. Events that did happen then now don't."

"When? Tell me when he kills your mom, is it at the hospital?"

"Dad, it could have been anywhere. We don't know."

"How about I take her away from here Katie, I have to take her away from here, he can't hurt her if I take her away from here!"

"What about the others dad? Who'll save them?"

"I'll warn them. Katie, I'm a lawyer, not a damn cop!

"Dad no one is going to believe you! When we left this alone he only killed three women according to the files. Since everything changed he's now killed, ten women."

"Katie, I gotta do something, hell you don't even know who this guy is…

"No, because…."

"You don't even know what he looks like…"

"Nobody got any…. Hold on, wait a minute…

Kate pulls the copies of the 3XK files from the corner of the desk and starts to sort out the files according to the date her dad is in now.

"Dad, I may not know who he is for sure, but I know where he'll be and what he will do before he gets there!"

"What do you want me to do? Call the cops? No one will believe me."

"Dad, we need to stop him before anything happens. We can do this because we have the upper hand now! Don't you see?"

"Katie, you do remember what happened the last time right? Like I said I'm a lawyer, not a cop."

"Dad they'll believe you if they catch him in the act only you can make that happen, dad."

"Katie, what happens if the radio stops working? What if I can't talk to you?"

"Dad, then just get mom the hell out of there! It's as simple as that. But dad, those other women were not supposed to die. We need to stop him if we don't we'll live with this for the rest of our lives."

After thinking it over Jim answered.

"Katie, I'm not that sure about doing this."

Rick was keeping quiet during the whole exchange he could tell that they were both upset and agitated by the facts that were laid in front of them. So, he asked Jim a simple question to give them time to regroup their emotions and calm themselves down.

"Mr. Beckett, would you do anything humanly possible to save your wife?"

"Rick, I have no doubt in my mind. There's nothing I wouldn't do to save her. I'd give my life for her if it would save her, without even a second thought."

"Your answer tells me that you'd do anything to right a wrong. Now you need to do this for Kate. I know you're not a cop but maybe, just maybe you can save a victim that never had a chance to live a full life. A life that 3XK had robbed her of."

When Rick finished talking Kate was up off her chair pulling him into a passionate and intense kiss. He was not expecting it at first so he tried to escape her hold. After a second he realized that it was her way of thanking him and this was exactly where he wanted her so he responded drawing his tongue over her lower lip and she granted him access to her mouth. Feeling the need to breathe they both parted from the kiss. As she sat back in the chair, he could have sworn that she gave him an encouraging look that this was only the beginning of something more.

"Kate, we can do this. Your dad will be able to set things right again."

Jim hearing more than he wanted to when they were kissing decided that maybe he could try to do this and it would turn out okay. So he spoke directly and clearly.

"Katie, what do I need to do?"


	12. Chapter 12

Kate reads the files knowing that there's a life that hangs in the balance. They need to get this right and after the talk, Rick just had with her dad, she's sure that they can stop another senseless murder from taking place.

"Okay dad, here's what you need to do. The next victim is Fran Donaldson. It happens tomorrow. According to the case file, she leaves the hospital at 6 pm and showed up at Stan's Bar and Grill at 6:30. She walked out of that bar around 7:30 and was found dead in the alley behind the bar by 8 pm."

"Kate, what if I don't get to her in time? What if I fail again?"

"Dad, think of this as more of a recon mission. You don't need to interact with anyone. Just watch and find out if anyone is hitting on her or paying special attention to her. Because I'm betting that when she leaves there someone will be following her out of there."

"Okay, Katie."

The next day arrived and Jim once again found himself in a bar just watching the crowd. He knows that he arrived before Fran has so he waits, not talking to anyone. He orders a scotch and soda and nurses it. He checks his watch and then he hears Fran's name being called out. He turns and sees that she's walking through the bar responding to the man who said "hi" to her. He drinks his drink all the while keeping an eye on her. She sits with some friends and starts talking with them. When he looks over to her, many times she notices his looking at her and the friends order him a beer. The bartender gives him the beer and tells him it's from the women sitting at the table behind him. He picks up the beer and raises it saluting them and thanks them for the beer. Since he was here to stop her murder, he leaves the bar and walks over to their table.

"Thanks, for the beer." He says.

Fran responds with "Your welcome, sit down."

He does and one of her friends notice that he is married and they all agree that it's okay just to talk to him and they ask him to sit with them.

"So, what do they call you?"

"Oh, I'm Jim."

What Jim fails to realize is that there is a man sitting at the bar watching his every move. He never notices that then the man who took his license is sitting just 10 feet away.

They talk about nothing important but the conversation flows along. Daryl who now knows that his chance to fulfill his murderous needs have been ruined gets up and leaves the bar.

Xx

Kate and Rick have returned to the 12th and Roy has set her up with everything she needs to do her job as a detective. Espo and Ryan walked her through the process of what to do in the job and since she has good instincts they place all the 3XK files on her desk. Roy looks on from his office as she studies the files. He knows that the case that she's working has been cold for quite a while, but he wants to see what she comes up with.

Kate has the files all spread out on the desk. She's going through the most recent one when her desk phone rings.

"12th precinct homicide Beckett speaking."

Kate listens to the report being given by the forensic lab and asks to confirm the name of the victim. She frantically grabs a pad and pen and writes the name down asking for a correct spelling before hanging up. Montgomery makes his way out into the bullpen and stands close to her desk. She feels him right behind her and turns to tell him what she found out.

"Sir, the results came back from the skeletal remains."

"And detective?"

"They came back to one Mary Finelli reported missing April 16, 1998."

Roy looks to her with an idea forming in his mind.

"She was the first!"

Kate just nods knowing that what was to come next.

"Yes, sir. Which means he probably knew her."

"Yeah, there's that."

"Wouldn't that make it easier to find him?" Rick asks.

"Not necessarily. He could be able to blend in better after his first kill. Like he honed his skills in knowing what to look for." Roy replied and in the same breath he said,

"Detective Beckett, it looks like this case just got hot."

"It does sir."

Kate turns back to sort through the pile of files and then she notices that there are files that are now missing.

"Kate? Rick asks with Roy left wondering as well.

"She's gone. Rick, Susan Shaffer, where is her file?"

"Who? Detective are you okay? And who is Susan Shaffer?" Her Captain asked.

"He did it!"

Kate told the captain that she needed to look into something and asked for some time to follow a lead. She just never told him what exactly this lead was, though. Hurriedly getting up from her desk after the captain said it was okay for her to leave and she grabbed Rick's arm and pulled him to the elevator.

"Kate, what's wrong?"

"All in due time Rick. We need to get back to my apartment to call dad on the radio."

"But why?" He questioned.

"Because Rick he did it!"

He stood there until thinking about her statement until the elevator doors opened and then he stepped on. He needed to know more. So, he waited until they returned to her place.

"Dad, dad! Are you there?"

"Katie?"

"Dad you did it!

"Susan Shaffer is alive and well dad."

"I'll be damned.

"Did you see him there?" Figure out who he is?"

"No, no I messed up. I just started to talk to her and her friends. I just kept talking to them, I was afraid to let her out of my sight. Whoever he was he must have backed off."

"That's okay dad, we're going to get him. This is going to work."

"I hope so, what else do you got?"


	13. Chapter 13

"Dad, are you there? Dad?"

"Katie, what's wrong?

"Nothing's wrong dad. But since you saved Susan, we were able to catch a break. We found out who was his first victim was."

"Go on. Don't leave me in suspense!"

"Her name was Mary Finelli. She was a nurse at the hospital."

"Well, that's good… right?

"Yeah, it is dad. Me and Rick are going to look into her death later. But there is…

"Hang on Katie, there's someone I want you to talk to."

Jim turns to Johana who's trying to get some information from Madison.

"Jo, come over here. Remember that woman I told you about? The detective?"

"I do. Why?

"Well, I want you to meet her. Katie are you there?"

"Yeah."

Johanna's eyebrows raised when he said her name, throwing her just a little but she talked anyway.

"Hi, Johanna."

"Hi Katie, Jim tells me that you're a detective."

"I am. Homicide out of the 12th."

"That's great. My Katie wants to go to Sanford and follow in her father's footsteps."

Kate looks to see Rick with a sad face knowing that if her mother was alive events in her life would be so much different now.

"Well, I find that admirable. I hope she gets in."

"We do too."

"It was nice to meet you, Katie. I need to talk to my Katie, so I'm going to go now."

"It was nice to meet you as well."

"Mr. Beckett, who is that you're talking to?" Madison asked.

"She's a friend Maddie."

"Can I talk to her?"

"Sure, I don't see why not." Jim replied.

Kate waited until Maddie came to the radio. When she did she had a thought.

"Hello?" Maddie said.

"Hello, Madison!" Kate replied happily.

"How do you know my name?"

"I know a lot of things about you Maddie. I know that you have a passion for food and that you love both aspects of both food and business. Now I'm going to tell you that this will be a good thing for you in the distant future. I am going to give you some information that will give you a leg up on this passion of yours."

"You will? And what could that be?" Maddie asked doubting that this stranger could know her so well.

"You are going to have a vision of starting an upscale restaurant called Q3. This will be big for you! And you are going to meet a head chef by name of Balthazar Wolf, hire him to work for you and this will put your new place on the map!"

"Ooookay. So, what about it?"

"Maddie don't hire Wolf. Something goes terribly wrong and he ends up dead in the kitchen of Q3. This will save you the heartbreak of dealing with the how and why he died."

"Alright, don't hire Wolf. Is there anything else that you want to tell me?"

"Yes. When you get Q3 off the ground, an invite would be appreciated."

"I'll see what I can do. It was great talking to you, Kate."

"Maddie, Wait, just a second…"

"Sure thing Kate."

Kate looked at Rick and gave him a look that she wanted him to go in the other room for now. When he got up the look he returned was one that said you'll tell me what you're talking about when you're finished.

"Madison, you will be starting to date a guy named Brent Williams towards the end of senior year. Now while you like him, I have some knowledge that some else likes him as well. But, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Kate. What is it?"

"Be relentless going after him. Don't back off when someone asks if you have a problem with them seeing him. Okay?"

"Kate, what do you mean?"

What I'm trying to say so badly is apparently that there is someone else who likes him too. But stand your ground, no matter what the other person says."

"Alright, tell me who this is then."

"I can't right now but just know that this will happen. Her feelings will be hurt, but she'll get over it."

"Okay, Kate. I'll remember this."

Madison leaves the radio and Jim returns back.

"So, Kate since when did you decide that guiding someone's future was a good thing?"

"Dad! It's just a little bit of friendly advice. She'll thank me for it when she realizes that it's for her to take this advice and use it."

"Kate, oh okay it's senseless to talk you out of it because you've already told her."

"Dad, listen there's something that you need to do. The next murder happens tonight. And I have a lead here on my end that I can look into since you saved Susan."

"Kate, what do you want me to do next?"

"I'll give you the details for the next murder.

Are you ready?"

"Yes. Give me the details."

"Okay her name is Sissy Clark. She's a nurse at the hospital and she also moonlights at a bar called The Blue Moon as a cocktail waitress on West 63rd. She leaves work at 2 am and she is murdered between 2:15 am and 5:00 am. The address is 423 Green street apartment 4E. she was killed in her apartment."

"Hold on a second, you're going too fast for me to write this down."

"Okay, I'll wait."

"Apartment 4 E got it. What else?"

"Yeah, I don't know how long this radio will keep working but you need to watch your ass. This guy will be out looking to kill her and you need to stop it. I know it's a lot to ask of you but you are the only one who can stop this and save mom."

"Okay, Kate. I'll try to prevent a murder wish me luck."

"Good luck dad."

The scene in the sky above is ominous and the northern lights are starting to move in and out and away from the house and back over again. Kate can see this from the window and hopes that the radio will keep working so they can save her mother.

"Kate, So you're conceding to let Maddie have her shot at Brent?"

"Rick, you were supposed to be in the other room not listening!"

"I was. Why? Is there something that you're not telling me?"

Kate thought about telling him that she was having more feelings for him and that she would like to have something more solid to call a relationship but instead, she says,

"Rick, I promise that we'll talk when this is over and done with. We have too many events to stop if my mom is going to still be here now. Can you understand what I mean?"

"I do Kate. But, promise me that we _will_ talk when this is finished. And I mean really have a no holds barred honest adult conversation."

Okay, we will… I promise."


	14. Chapter 14

They sat there in her car outside of their prime suspect's father's house. She had told her captain that this was a lead that would be well worth looking into. They were waiting for the right moment to go in. While they waited, Kate thought about how much Rick has done for her since they met. He has supported her in any circumstance and she bet he'd keep doing just that. He was always alongside her, never leading nor trailing, right next to her. He made her feel special and time after time he told her that she was extraordinary. She only hoped to live up to what he thought was extraordinary. Having to talk about how they felt towards each other when they closed this case was not going to be easy for her, but for him, she'd try her best.

"Rick, you ready to go in?" Kate asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be. What about you?"

"I'm ready too. Let's do this!"

They both got out of the car and cautiously made their way to his house. Once reaching the door they knocked soundly. It took about a good three minutes before the door was to be answered. But when it was answered, the man standing in front of them look a lot like Darryl. She knew that Daryl and 3XK were one in the same she just had to prove it. So, when he asked what she wanted she told him that she was a cop working a cold case back from the nineties. And his son had worked cases similar to what they were investigating, so she was just asking if he had any paperwork or files from those older cases that his son might have given him. He told her he had to look in his closet as he turned and invited them into his home. Rick, always being nosey started walking around the living room. As he did he noticed pictures from the fireplace mantel that showed a happy family of three. As he looked around some more, he noticed that the house that they were in was devoid of a woman's touch. He motions to Kate while she is looking at the old-fashioned roll up writing desk for anything that could connect his son with the murders. Seeing nothing she moves to where Rick is.

"Kate, what's missing from this house?"

"It's missing what a woman would bring. The furniture has about an inch of dust on it, the floors have not been cleaned in a while and in general, it looks like a man lives here. Namely Darryl's father."

"Bingo! I wonder what happened to her. She's here in these pictures when he was about 16 but there are no recent pictures of her anywhere else."

"That's because she was murdered, detectives."

"Oh, I'm sorry I'm not a detective, just a consultant. She's the detective." Rick admits as he points to Kate.

"Either way, she was murdered, detective. Mother of a cop and they never found the bastard who did it."

"Your son Darryl, is he still on the job?" Kate asked replacing his picture back on the hutch.

"Not really. He does a little PI work now and then but for the most part, he is retired. After he was shot he received a partial disability. Then he was caught up in those damn Knapp hearings, and even though he was not involved his name was dragged through the mud. So, he decided to call it quits after he was cleared and the hearings came to a close."

"So he's living off his retirement?" Rick asked.

"You could say that."

"Your wife, was she a nurse?"

"That she was. And a damn fine one at that. Everyone loved her there. She always kept people well cared for."

"I'm sorry for your loss sir." Rick told him.

Kate had a thought and maybe she'd get some answers. She wanted to talk to Darryl and so she asked his father if he had any places that he liked to hang out at.

"Does Darryl have a special place he likes to frequent to unwind at the end of the day?

Rick looked at her wondering where she was going with her question. Then he thought he might have an idea when he looked away from the pictures of his mom dressed as a nurse and Darryl in his police uniform. Just in that moment, his mind went somewhere he did not want it to go. He had a bad feeling about this and he knew that Beckett had no idea what was going on. He gave a look over to her that screamed that they needed to leave and now. When she gave him a slight nod that he would only know she wrapped up their visit.

"Yes, detective. He likes a bar in the lower part of Manhattan named 'To Each His Own' it's a dive but he seems to like it."

"I thank you for your time sir and thanks for the information you gave us."

"No big deal detective. I sure hope you are able to catch this serial killer…. soon"

With their thanks, they left his house and headed for the car. As she slid into the driver's seat she waited for Rick to do the same.

"Rick, what's wrong?" She asked hoping that he would share his theory.

"Kate I think we might have uncovered some horrible facts while we were there. And what I'm putting together in my mind is not in any way proper by a long shot."

She gives him a perplexed look waiting for him to continue on.

"Kate tell me that you don't see this?" Rick challenges.

"See what Rick?"

"It all adds up. I didn't put it together until he said she was murdered and they never found her killer and the fact that he wished us good luck in finding the 'serial' killer. How did he know that we were dealing with a serial? I never said anything and neither did you."

"Okay, so what grand theory have you put together that finally tells me what you have figured out?"

"We noticed that there were no pictures after he was the age of sixteen, right?"

"Yes, go on."

"Don't you find it a little strange that she died around the same time that the 3XK/Darryl murders started?"

"Whoa, hold on a second are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"I don't know Beckett, want to share your thoughts with the class?" Rick teased.

She sat there in the front seat and pieced together everything he had told her and then remembered that Darryl's father had no idea where the files he had gone to. He swore they were they were in the bottom of his closet in an NYPD bankers box. But when he came back to them he said that the box was missing. Granted he never looked in the box in years, but now it was just gone. Then she had a thought.

"He killed his own mother! That's what started his obsession with murder."

Rick just looked at her touching his index finger to his nose confirming that she was on the right train of thought.

"Annnnd after he killed his mother he knew that the files he gave his dad would incriminate him so he made them disappear for good. That's why his dad couldn't find them. They had already been gone for quite some time now."

She sat there collecting her thoughts. Then she starts the car and pulls away from the house heading towards downtown.

"Where are we going, Kate?"

"We're going to his bar. Maybe if I can rattle his cage a little he'll give up something we can use."

"No! Kate, you can't confront him. He will see that you are getting close to finding out what he did."

"Rick I need to do this. But I need to do this alone. You need to wait in the car for me."

"Nu-uh! Have you finally lost your senses? Come on Kate I'm your partner! I should be in there with you."

"On any other case Castle, yes. But not this! He needs to see that I'm not a threat and with you along with me he'll clam up tighter than a vice and won't give me anything."

They rode in silence the rest of the ride. Rick thought about her last statement and reluctantly agreed but added one last demand. As they pulled up to the bar and she parked he told her what he thought.

"Kate the second this turns bad, and I know it will I'll be in there! No arguments about this! It's not negotiable."

"Rick while that's really sweet, how are you going to know when I'm in a trouble?"

Rick gives her a devilish grin and pulls her phone from her back pocket his hand caressing her ass for only a second the get a rise out of her, but when she gives him a seductive look, he quickly removes his hand from her ass knowing that this is not the time or place to start anything he can't finish. He studies her phone for a second and then downloads an app and syncs her phone with his. Then he opens the app on both of their phones and gives her phone back to her.

"Castle, what did you just download onto my phone?"

"I, my beautiful detective now enjoy the power of having eyes and ears on the inside. It's an app that transmits both audio and video. This way I can see and hear everything that you do."

She blushed when he called her beautiful, but then was apprehensive at first not wanting him to be aware of what was going on but rethought her position. Maybe this could be a good thing to have him in on what was going on inside.

"But, you need to keep your phone in your top pocket with the lens showing so it can capture the video."

Kate repositions the phone to be hidden as much as it can be. She hopes that the bar is dark so he cannot see her phone.


	15. Chapter 15

As Kate made the motion to leave the car she hesitated. She wanted to kiss him for luck but decided that it would only confuse what they felt towards each other. So, she gave him one last bit of advice.

"Rick, promise me that you'll stay put in the car. You will be able to see and hear everything that's going on inside with Darrell. If I need you what I'll do is push the phone down into my pocket. That's the sign for you to come in and see if I need any help.

"Got it. Now go on in there and be the kick ass detective that I know you are."

She still didn't know how he could think that of her like that. She was only doing her job. Opening the door and getting out, she gave him one last look. She hoped that this all went well.

She was grateful that the bar was dark. She walked up to the bar, had a seat, and ordered a vodka and tonic. Darrell noticed her the second she sat down.

She played it cool and let him take the lead. After about a minute's time, he started talking.

"You on the job?"

"Yeah, you?"

"I was, a lifetime ago. You look like a model, why did you become a cop?"

"Long story. One day maybe I'll tell you all about it."

Back in the car, Rick rolled his eyes at the model comment. If he only knew.

Kate thinks that getting him to admit just a small fact from him would be what she needs to catch him off guard. She hopes.

"So, I caught this case from back in your day. A serial cold case. And I'm coming up empty."

"You don't say. Hope your making progress with it."

To say that he was uninterested in what she was telling him told her he wanted more. She gave him more details.

"The 3XK killer. We had initially thought that he killed his first victim back in 1999. But we have new information that tells us that his first kill was in 1997."

"No kidding. What kind of information?"

"Bones! Can you believe that? We found the remains of Mary Finelli. She was buried behind some old diner that was being demolished on Dyckman street. Talk about dumb luck, what are the chances of finding her remains and then being able to match her dental records."

Kate observed his expression and for a second he faltered but recovered quickly. Only she caught it. He just shrugged his shoulders like it didn't matter one way or the other what she had found. He lights another cigarette.

"And the best part about it… she was the first. She knew her killer. I bet those bones are going to shed a lot of light on this investigation now."

He still looked at her with a smug look thinking that she still had nothing on him. He just stared her down. She got up from the barstool and moved to his side, pulled out the crime scene pictures and placed them in front of him on the bar.

"You know, the past is a funny thing. Everyone has skeletons in their closet. You just never know when they will jump out and bite you in the ass, right Darryl?"

He moves the crime scene pictures around taking in the scene of the victim, one he knows all too well. Looking back up at her she questions him again.

"You changed your M.O. Darryl because if they knew that your mother was a 3XK victim they would have looked into the family, and then they would've looked at you."

Darryl looked up from the pictures and still, he had that grin on his face. He decided to test her dedication to the job and asked,

"What are you looking at?"

Without missing a beat Kate responded.

"You and taking away your freedom! What you did went down thirty years ago, you just don't know it yet."

Disgusted that she had put it all together he shoved the pictures towards her. Kate collected them and put them back in the envelope, turned and walked away never looking back. As she walked away he tried to come up with something that would throw her off from what she was thinking. He said it with an almost shout which drew the patrons of the bar to look over to him.

"Sometimes serials drop off the radar. They ever get arrested when they feel the cops getting too close to their trail. You have your work cut out for you detective, I envy you."

Not being able to resist she needed to hear what he said next.

"You do? How so?"

"When you get this guy, and I know you will, you'll be in the headlines for taking down a killer that has gone unnoticed for decades. That in itself is something you can be proud of."

Kate just turned towards the front door and left. He was reaching and he was desperate and she knew it. _"Something I can be proud of?"_ She thought to herself. Yeah, she'd be proud when she had his ass in cuffs. She reaches the car and as she reaches for the door handle, her hand is shaking so badly as she opens it. Never had she thought he'd affect her like this but he is a serial killer.

Xx

Jim was back at the house getting ready to watch the Yankees play. The national anthem was playing in the background and has just finished replacing a transistor tube on the radio not really paying attention to the start of the game. Johanna was sorting the laundry to wash and his daughter was glued to the T.V. set.

Without warning the radio came alive. "Katie is that you?"

"Yeah, dad it is. Listen I went up against him and now he knows that we are looking into him."

"Kate, is this a smart move? I mean what if he goes after you?"

"Dad, I am able to take care of myself. Try not to worry."

"Okay fine."

"Listen dad I need to tell you something. Darryl is a killer who takes a token like a piece of jewelry or a personal item from the women he kills. If there is a way, anyway at all you need to find what he has taken from them. It will be hard evidence to nail him for good."

Before he can answer her the doorbell is sounding with a constantly repeated ringing. Johanna leaves the laundry area announcing that she will answer the door.

"Dad? What's going there?"

"I'm not sure Katie."

The radio still transmits the conversation on Kate's side and she hears everything that is said.

Jim looks up when Johanna walks back into the room where Jim is Satch is following close behind.

"Hey Satch, what are you doing here. I didn't know that you had the day off today." Jim says.

"Hey Jim, we need to have a conversation…."

"Dad, what's going on there?"

"Hang on a second Katie."

"Jim I need to talk to you, right now outside."

"Satch, I'm in the middle of something right now. Can't it wait?"

Kate was hearing everything that was being said.

"Dad talk to me what the hell is going on there?"

Satch just looked at the radio and reissued his request.

"Now Jim."

"Katie, Satch is here and he's with his partner. He wants to talk. Just hang on a sec."

"Jim, what happened to your eye?"

"I banged it up. Caught a file cabinet that the assistant had left open the other day and hit me in the eye."

"Jim let's go outside we really need to talk."

"Katie, I need to talk to Satch. I'll be right back."

"Dad?" She was worried. Why would a detective be at his house and asking him to go and talk with him? Many thoughts entered her mind, none of them good.

Jim agrees and walks out the front door of the house with Satch following close behind. When he passes Johanna who has been watching the event unfold in front of her she gives her a reassuring look. When he opens the door, he is met by Satch's partner and wonders if this is more than a social visit.

Out on the sidewalk, Satch is quick to start asking questions.

"So Jim, where you the other night around two in the morning?"

"Where do you think I was Satch?" Jim responds trying t get a read on the detective. He reaches into his blazer pocket and pulled out a something in an evidence bag and holds it up for him to see.

"Same place where I found this. Under a dead woman's body."

Jim's eyes widen as he focuses on his driver's license that is in the bag. He takes a step back and needs to come up with an excuse that sounds reasonable but comes up empty.

"It's not what you think Satch." Jim tells him while he tries to calm him with a look and his hand gestures.

"Jim, we need to take a ride down to the precinct. We need to talk there and get to the bottom of this. Right this way."

Satch takes a hold of Jim's arm guiding him to the car but Jim tugs free of his grip and his partner goes for his weapon out of instinct.

"Satch, just let me tell Johanna where I am going, then we can leave."

"Okay, Jim. I'll have my partner stay with you." Satch nods to his partner and they both enter the house. He explains to Johanna that he needs to go with Satch and that he'll be back soon. He never tells her why. They return back to the car and they leave heading to the precinct.


	16. Chapter 16

After her dad was lead out to the car, Katie went to his office and tried to set the ham radio back into its proper place after the struggle her dad had with the detective. As she does she remembers the strained words he had with the other Kate, none of it made sense to her. Returning back to the task at hand, the radio was dangerously teetering on the edge of the desk. Reaching for it, she tripped over the rug that his chair sat on and accidentally knocked the radio off the desk. All she heard was glass breaking and the microphone hitting the top of the radio as it came to rest on the floor.

Kate had heard the shuffle with her dad and the detective, and then there was nothing at all. The radio on her end was still where it should be, but there was an ominous smoke and odor filtering out from the back of the radio. She looked to Rick who had heard the same struggle as she did and then everything went quiet with the radio.

"What do you think happened there, Kate?" Rick asked.

"If I were a detective back then and if I know what goes on in a detective's mind, they will probably want to ask my dad questions about why they found evidence at a crime scene of a dead woman that belonged to him."

Rick drops his head knowing that any chance to save her mom lies in her dad not being locked up in a holding cell.

"Kate, I know things look pretty bad, but maybe if he is released and he fixes the radio that I'm sure we can't fix on our end because it was damaged in the past, he will still be able to stop your mom from being murdered.'

Kate looks at him always trying to make her see the bright side of every situation.

"I hope your right Rick."

Xx

Jim sits at the steel table across from Satch. He knows that the evidence he has will be hard for him to explain away. If he had only been able to defend himself better on that night, none of this would be happening. So, becoming more honest with him was the way he was going to play this.

"He's a cop Satch." Jim starts off.

"A cop?"

"Yes, he's a detective out of the 15th, and his name is Darryl Simpson."

"Okay, and you found all of this out by talking to your daughter… in the future?"

"Satch, I know that sounds a little crazy…"

The detective cuts him off "A little crazy? Jim, we have your prints and your driver's license at her crime scene."

"I know you do! And I know this is beyond anything you can think up, but I swear I'm telling you the truth. You gotta open up your mind and listen to me"

Satch takes a good hard look at him and comes to a different conclusion, one he hopes is not true.

"Jim, did you have something going on with this girl? Something that you did not want Johanna finding out about?"

Jim just drops his head knowing it's not true, but the fact that this detective thinks it makes him worry.

"Jim, answer me! You do realize that you're in a world of shit right now don't you? We have an eyewitness who puts you at this dead girl's apartment, and then there's your prints and license that only incriminate you all the more."

"What can I tell you Satch?" Jim responds defeatedly.

"My partner is out there getting a search warrant for your home. Do you want to tell me what we'll find?"

"Not a thing that relates to her murder! I didn't do this Satch!"

"Jim you need to give me something, anything!"

Jim sinks back down into the chair and eyes the detective. When he does he hears the Yankee game that's in the bottom of the second inning and has a thought. He can only hope that Satch believes him.

He looks at Satch and what he sees is total disbelief in his excuses. But he tries his idea anyway.

"What if I could make you believe what I'm telling you is the truth? Would you at least give me the benefit of a doubt then?"

"Jim, you better not be screwing with my head. So, help me if you're lying to me I'll throw the book at you."

"I'm not, just listen to me. The world series is in what, the second inning?"

"Yeah, I think so. So, what?"

"Well, what if I were to tell you that in the bottom of the sixth inning Avery will throw a pitch inside to O'Neil, but instead of getting out of the way in time, he gets hit by it. Giving him first base being hit by the pitch."

Satch is not buying this and he tells him so.

"Jim, come on! There's no way you can predict this."

"No, no listen to me after O'Neil takes his base, Raines hits a shot to the center field seats."

Satch having none of this and gets up to see how his partner is doing in securing a warrant for Jim's house. As he turns away Jim reaches out and grabs his elbow stopping him from leaving.

"Satch, hear me out! In the bottom of the seventh, Jeter hits a solo home run, and the Yankees win this damn game 8 to 6!"

Satch just looks at him like he's lost his mind. But he rambles on anyway.

"Satch if you don't believe me just watch the game! If that doesn't happen, then I'm a liar!"

"Watch the game? Now I know that you've lost it. I can't sit here and watch a baseball game just to prove that your insane explanation is true."

Jim can only give him a pleading look stressing his story is the truth. Satch needs him to see how serious this is.

"Jim, they're going to hang you for Sissy Clark's murder. And when they do, when they jump to the next conclusion. They are going to tie that into the 3XK murders. Do you understand how much this makes you their prime suspect?"

Jim once again drops back into the chair wondering how he got himself into this mess. Satch looks like he's disgusted with his sorry excuse of an alibi. Then there's a knock on the door.

"Yeah, what is it?" Satch walks to the door and opens it up.

"His wife is here, she wants to talk to him."

Satch just looks over at the table and wonders what else can happen to interrupt his progress in the case.

Xx

Kate and Rick sit at her desk and she's reading over the files in front of her. She knows that the radio on her dad's end was damaged and for now they are cut off from him and there's no way to contact him. This upsets her. She hears Rick is going through the newspaper and an article he's reading becomes very interesting when he stills to read it she pays no attention to his sudden calm. As he reads on he's getting a bad feeling in his gut. The article has a report on the aurora borealis phenomenon in the science section. As he reads on he's becoming sicker to his stomach. It says that the phenomenon will be soon coming to an end. If this is true, then Kate will lose all contact with her dad. He needs to tell her this.

"Kate?"

She looked away from the file she's nose deep in and sees that his look is a serious one.

"What is it, Rick?"

"It says in this article that the Borealis phenomenon will be coming to an end soon. And if I'm right when it does, whatever contact you have with your dad will come to an end."

All she can do is just stare at his face. She knew that this was a gift from the beginning and now that she is so close to saving her mom from being murdered she can't stop now.

"Rick, he needs to get his radio working again, he needs to!" She practically screams at him.

"Kate, I know. But if I know your dad he'll get it done."

When he looks up to her again, he sees the tears tracking down her cheeks knowing that they might not be able to stop what was going to happen. He moves closer to her and just wraps his arms around her to comfort her.


	17. Chapter 17

Satch walks out of the interrogation room to let Jim think about what he said he did not do. They had him, his license was at the scene. But he also knew him as his friend the lawyer, he'd never lie to him because it just was not the friend he knew. So maybe there really was a second person there. He shakes that idea from his thoughts and he looks over the office space to see Johanna sitting there waiting patiently for her husband. He decides to talk to her, maybe find out if she knew anything about this Kate he was talking to on the radio. He casually walks out to the front foyer and sits down.

He takes her in and he can see that she has questions and that she's a little nervous. He blows out a breath and asked her a question.

"Jo, take a walk with me? Maybe we'll grab a cup of coffee on the way."

Johanna just nods her answer. They both get up and leave walking right out the front doors of the stationhouse.

As they both hit the sidewalk neither of them notice Darryl walking up the precinct stairs. He placates the uniform that's having a cigarette with a nod and "How's it going?" continuing to walk in keeping an eye on the detective walking away.

He needs information so, he flashes the desk sergeant his shield and asked if they had a suspect in holding for the 3XK murders. The sergeant replied they did and he told him where the suspect was.

Jim had started to pace the interrogation room wondering what was going to happen next.

Xx

Satch and Johanna sit down at a table in the diner on the corner across from the station house. He needs to start this conversation off very carefully because he can't see Jim doing anything like this. His anguish must show on his face because Johanna asks if he's alright.

"Jo, is everything okay between you and Jim?"

"Yeah, we're good. He works hard, I work hard and he gives us what we need." Jo decides to turn the tables on Satch.

"Who is Sissy Clark, Satch?"

He knows her and he also knows her looks. This one is her no-nonsense looks and she wants an answer. But he needs to be the one in charge here.

"Jo, do you know where Jim was last night?

Not getting an answer to her question stunned her into giving him an answer immediately.

"Yeah, he was working, he said he needed to stay late at the office to finish up a couple of things he was working on for a case."

Xx

Darryl sees that all the detectives are mindlessly watching the Yankee game on the T.V. set in the break room. Right now, no one is keeping an eye on their suspect. He turns away and heads for the door that has the lawyer in it. Satch's partner sees Darryl out of the corner of his eye and knows that there is no unauthorized personnel allowed back into the station house so deep without an escort, he knows that he's a cop so he goes back to watching the game.

Darryl unbolts the lock at the top of the door and turns the knob. The second he walks in Jim knows that this will be a fight to the end. Darryl tells him to sit down, but Jim knows that if he does he'll lose his edge. He fights better being on an equal playing field. When Jim failed to comply, Darryl became tense.

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Darryl made it a point of drawing his weapon from his holster and point it directly at Jim.

Having no other option, he held his hands up in a mocking fashion towards him and sat in the chair he was previously in. As Jim looks up into his eyes, the eyes he knew were guilty Darryl asked him,

"So, how'd you figure it out?"

Just at that moment, Satch's partner opens the door and Darryl slips his gun in his pocket before it's noticed. Jim sees this as an easy way to get away from this madman. So, he starts to rant about Darryl trying to kill him and to go tell Satch. Darryl quickly talks over Jim to the cop.

"Hey, how ya doin?"

"What's goin on in here?" The cop asks.

"Jim bursts out again, "He's trying to kill me! Find Satch!"

"Shut up asshole." Darryl says and turns to face the cop who is starting to waver.

"How about if we go outside in the hallway."

"Okay, great. Darryl agrees. The two men walk out and Jim is still telling Satch's partner to find him.

As they are walking down the hall, he needs to know what's going on.

"I'm wondering what you were doing in there with my collar?"

"Sorry buddy, but they sent me up here from downstairs. There was a robbery that I'm investigating and your suspect was a close match. I didn't mean to step on your toes."

Xx

Satch can't believe what he's hearing. Jo was telling him about how Jim was talking to a "cop" and he isn't buying it.

"Jo, what's this cop's name?"

"Her name is Kate. He talks to her all the time. I have too."

"Wait, he calls her Kate?" Satch asks still uncertain where this will bring him.

"Yeah Satch, that's her name. Satch what's going on here? First, you storm into my home, then you start accusing Jim of something that we both know he would never have done, you take him away and now you're talking to me like a cop, not our friend. So, what's up?"

"Jo, I'm talking to you as your friend because if I was here as a cop, I wouldn't be here at all."

Johanna's face has fear written all over it. She can't believe that the man sitting across from her thinks that her husband did this. Satch knows that he'll be pulled off the case because he knows Jim so he tells her this.

"Listen to me Jo, they're going to pull me off this case and when they do they are going to re-interview Jim. Then he'll tell them what he's been telling me about this Kate he knows and when he does nobody will be able to help him."

"Satch, what's he been telling you?" Jo asked him with concern.

"Jo, he told me that he's talking with Kate."

"Yeah, he was Kate the cop."

"No, no, no she may well be a cop, but told me that she is his daughter Katie, little Katie, on the radio… from the future."

Satch you misunderstood him, you heard him wrong."

Satch takes a hard look at her and draws his hand down his face and looks away not understanding why she won't believe him.

"Jo, Sissy Clark she's a nurse and she was murdered yesterday. And Jim, he's involved. He's either a material witness, an accomplice or he's the perpetrator."

Johanna's face contorts at what she's just been told. her emotions are running all over the place.

"Satch you know he couldn't do this. Can I see him?"

Satch is half listening to her and to the game that's on the T.V. in the diner. Knowing that he just heard Jim tell him something about Jeter and a home run or something like that.

"You know I um…" Satch turned in his seat and looks up at the T.V. He sees the umpire talking to Hayes and then he's given first base from being hit on the foot by the ball.

"My God…" He gets off the chair and walks over to the counter where he is glued to the game. Just before he walks away Jo asked,

"Satch, what's going on?"

He turns back to her from the T.V. and holds up one finger telling her to wait for a second then continues to watch the game. Jeter comes to the plate gets three pitches which put him at a two and one count. Torre signs to him to swing away at the next pitch. He does and the ball sails out to right field and over the wall giving the Yankees a 2-0 lead just as Jim said it would happen. He looks back to Jo with a very wide smile on his face.

Xx

Jim is no slouch when it comes to anything that deals with electricity after he damn near rebuilt the HAM radio at home. He gets up from the chair and has a look around. There's nothing that he can use to get out of here to warn Kate. He starts to pace and then he sees the A/C wall unit. He has an idea now starting to form in his head. He looks at the cord and unplugs it, pulling it from the staples that run along the molding. With one hard pull, he rips what remains of the cord from the unit. He splits the cord between the rubber insulation and strips each end. He does the same with the other end then cuts it into two pieces. He pops open the breaker box and attaches each end of the stripped wire into each pole of the breaker and closes the panel door. He strings the cord out enough for him to be able to toss it at the door. He wraps the stripped wire around the door knob and attaches the other end to the cage that surrounds the room. He walks back to the table and grabs the two coffee cups he and Satch shared earlier and pours them right in front of the door on the floor. His trap is set. He sits back down in the chair and waits.

Darryl knows that he needs to deal with the lawyer and he intends to do just that. He knows that all the detectives are watching the game on T.V and they're oblivious as to what's going on around them so he makes his move. He tells Satch's partner that he's going to talk to their suspect. It won't be a problem he just wants to talk. His partner thinks about it and nods his head turning back to the game. He turns the handle to the door and steps in thinking that he has the upper hand over the lawyer. He sees Jim and the lawyer is smiling at him. He steps into the room and onto the coffee puddle never taking his hand off the door knob Jim tosses the stripped power cord across the room and into the coffee puddle this completes the circuit shocking Darryl with 110 volts. He drops to the floor unconscious.

Jim has so little time before he comes to. He searches his pockets for his wallet and finds it. He pulls out his NYPD ID and tosses it. The next thing he pulls from his wallet is his license. He memorizes the address and drops what's left on top of Darryl's body. Now he needs a way to get out of the precinct he just can't walk out. He takes a can of bug spray and with Darryl's lighter lights the spray causing an intense flame. He guides it to the smoke alarm and sets off the sprinklers. He knows that Darryl will come to quicker now that he's getting wet. He opens the door, takes a police folder from a desk and hides his face as he quickly leaves the precinct.


	18. Chapter 18

He needs to think. He remembers something that Kate had told him yesterday. What the hell did she tell him? He is standing on the sidewalk soaking wet from the fire suppression system and he gets looks from passerby's.

That's it! She told him that he collects souvenirs from his victims. His apartment is not that far from here and he starts to run. Fifteen minutes later he's trying to catch his breath while standing in front of Darryl's building. He takes a quick look around and sees no sign of Darryl or Satch. He cautiously enters the building. He climbed the stairs to the fourth floor and stops in front of apartment 4A. He jimmies the door open without damaging anything. He closes the door behind him and starts to search the place. He's trying to think like a serial killer but can only come up with thinking like a lawyer. He needs to find these items from all the other dead women. After a quick look around the common areas of the apartment, he finds nothing. He is heading towards the only bedroom in the place and he thinks this is where a serial killer would hide his trophies. The dresser, nightstand and small bathroom yield nothing. Then he moves to the closet and looks around. He can feel it Darryl has been in here recently he just can't find anything. He's quiet and the sound he hears next scares him shitless. The door opens and closes, he can hear the chain lock slide into place and then the deadbolt clicks. Thinking fast he rises from the bottom of the closet and walks towards the kitchen. He hides in the small nook between the rooms. He watches and Darryl enters the bedroom and he moves into the kitchen and around the wall back to the bedroom. Looking to his left there is a mirror hanging on the wall and he can see him standing on a milk crate looking up. He's satisfied and he leaves the closet to search the bedroom. Jim quietly around the wall so he's not seen. Darryl finds nothing in his place and removes the chain off the slide and places it down against the molding.

Jim keeps an eye on him until he gets back to the closet. He steps up onto the milk crate and sees a false panel above the door. He pulls it down and places it on a box behind him. He reaches in and feels something. He takes it out and flips the cover of the cigar box open. Inside there is all the evidence earrings, necklaces, and bracelets everything he needs to nail Darryl. His foot slips and he tries to catch it but he makes a floor board creek. Darryl turns and runs knowing what he heard was the lawyer. Jim closes the lid to the box and runs out of the bedroom and as he does he pulls a shelf unit down to block Darryl's path. He knows that he has little time before he starts shooting at him so he sprints towards the fire escape. He has a firm grip on the box but Darryl's shot hits the box knocking it from his hands, spilling the contents onto the floor. Darryl fires again and this time Jim almost feels the bullet whiz past his head. It lands in the window molding and splinters the wood as he jumps through the window breaking it and landing on the fire escape. He's up and on his feet stumbling down the steel steps. Before he knows it, he's hanging on the ladder extension to the alley and he starts to run away fast. He hears another couple of shots fired at him and all of them miss, but one does come close. He jumps onto the hood of a Chevy and hops the wooden fence as yet another shot just misses him then he's running.

Satch and Johanna return to find the precinct in total chaos. The water had been turned off and they were starting to clean up what remained. Satch's first thought is to find his partner and ask where Jim is. As he climbed the stairs he practically runs into his partner on his way down.

"Where is he?"

"Not here, he must have left during the alarm."

Satch knew exactly where Jim was heading. He could only hope that he'd get there in time to help.

Xx

"Kate, listen pacing around the apartment is not doing anything to ease your mind. If I know your dad, he'll get the radio fixed and then you'll see that everything will be fine."

"Rick I can't do anything! I need to move around."

"Kate, why don't you go over your radio to make sure that it did not get damaged on our as well, you know look it over so to speak."

He sees her visibly relax now that she can do something constructive. She sits down and pulls her radio closer to see what she's doing. She starts removing the cover and disconnecting the antenna from the back of the unit. When she looks inside she is struck by the radio's condition. It looks brand new and she looks to Rick.

"Babe, tell me something… when you found this radio for me, what did you do to it?"

"I just gave it to a guy I know and he told me that it didn't need that much to be back in working order. He did tell me that there were a couple of tubes that were questionable but other than that he cleaned it and well there it is."

It's so silly, and she knows it. The fact that he'd give her something for her birthday, something that she treasures, makes her heart fall more in love with him.

"Rick, thank you."

He looks at her and sees that she's more emotional than she has been.

"Hey, hey what's wrong Kate?"

"It's just well, this radio means more to me than you will ever know. It brought back my mom."

Rick could only drop his head down and look at his shoes. He was not expecting what happened next. He felt her palm rest under his chin and lift up his head to look at her. Then without any hesitation, she leaned in and kissed him. It was gentle and loving, when she broke apart she was waiting for him to open his eyes.

"Babe, never think that I don't love you. I do. I promised that we'd talk when we were done and we will. I just wanted to show you how much I care about you."

 _Did she love him? He knew that he loved her without a doubt, but for her to tell him out loud, well he'd never be able to figure her out. Maybe he shouldn't even try._

"Ditto."

She went on to finish checking out the radio and found it working perfectly.

Xx

Satch and his partner take the stairs up to Darryl's apartment. With weapons drawn they see that the door is cracked open and proceed with caution. Walking through the apartment Satch is startled when he hears a gunshot. He runs to the broken window takes a quick look out and finds nothing. He looks down and sees what remains of the cigar box and its contents.

Xx

Jim is in a yard that gives him cover from Darryl. He easily zig-zags between the stacked pallets and sees a dock. He has an access area to hide in the river under the pier so he dives in quietly. Swimming towards the area where Darryl is he watches as Darryl as he looks around frantically to find him. If he can only move three feet to the right he can grab his leg and pull him down. At the last second, he looks down as Jim is looking up. It's now or never so he reaches through the space between the planks and grabs his ankle and pulls hard. What he didn't expect is for the rotten plank to give way and Darryl to fall into the river.

He needs to get his gun away from him. Being under is something this killer was never prepared for. Jim grabs his wrist cutting off any means to shoot him. The struggle goes on for about twenty seconds and his chest is tightening from lack of air. He needs to end this now. Jim dives down a little more and finds a loose spike in the piers pylon. He grabs for it and it comes free. He raises it to strike Darryl and hits him in the chest many times. Darryl loses his grip on the gun and it falls to the river bed. But Jim does not stop he repeatedly strikes his attacker with the knowledge of what he has done to all those women releasing his fury. Darryl goes slack in his hand and drifts away. Jim comes to the surface and climbs back through the gaping hole where Darryl fell through. As he sits there with his feet dangling collecting his thoughts he hears Satch walking towards him. When he looks up at him he can see that now he believes his story about what he told him earlier. His look is sympathetic.

They help him up from the dock and they all head back to the station house, his partner had taken all the trophies from Darryl's apartment and put them into evidence.

"Jim what you did, this stunt on the dock was just down right foolish. If this suspect got the upper hand this would be a totally different conversation…. WITH YOUR WIFE!"

"Wait, suspect?"

"Really, that's what you get from what I just said?"

"Satch, I know I was wrong but you got the guy."

"Jim, this is going to take some time to sort out. What I need you to do is go home, be with your family. We'll take it from here."

Jim looks at his disbelievingly.

"I can go?"

"Yes. There is more than enough evidence against Simpson to hold him until we build a case against him. We now know that you are not involved in this."

Jim gets up and starts walking but stops and turns back to Satch.

Satch sees him hesitate and tells him,

"Jim go be with your family you need to be with them now. They're probably worried about you. GO!"

He is gone. He leaves the station house feeling so much better that he's no longer a suspect.


	19. Chapter 19

Jim decided to hoof it home. The station house was not that far from his house and the additional time for him to get there by walking would be for him to reflect on what has transpired in the last twenty-four hours. He knows that his daughter in the future is real. He also knows that she is alive and well and apparently has a steady man by her side. This is all something good because she was always a person who kept her feelings inside, bottled up. He's happy with the fact that her beau can help her and from what he's heard on the radio he seems to do it often. Before he knows it he is turning up the sidewalk to his home and it's like he's being drawn to her. He can feel her from where he stands. When he looks up he sees her with her arms open wide just waiting for him to occupy them. He wastes no time getting to her.

She pulls him in as close as she can. He is safe and they are together again. This is something she thought would never happen again. They walk back into their home and stop at their daughter's room and watch as she sleeps soundly. He is blessed to have such a perfect life.

"So, do they have him in custody?" His wife asked.

"I'm not too sure. Satch told me to go home before I could find out."

"I agree with him. It's good to have you back."

"Jo, I'm not going anywhere."

"No, I know. But one day you're going to have to explain how it is that you were at another woman's apartment." She said in a very possessive voice.

"One day…" He said.

They went to their room to get some sleep.

Xx

Satch was pacing and the more he paced the more he worried. The divers have been in the water since seven am this morning after calling it a night at three am. They found nothing to back up Jim's account of what happened yesterday with Darryl. His body had not been recovered and he was now fearing that he survived Jim's attack. They were able to recover his NYPD-issued gun though.

"Detective, there's no sign of a body here within 100 yards. We've searched everywhere and there's nothing but garbage at the bottom of the river."

"Keep at it for another hour then call it off. I'm heading back to the house."

Xx

Kate needed some time to herself. Really what she needed was some clarity. She got up from her desk and pulled Rick along with her.

"Rick, I need to get some fresh air."

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asked hopefully.

"Do you mind if I go alone?

"Not at all Kate. I'll make us something to eat while you're gone, but don't belong. I have a feeling that your father will be hard at work fixing his radio to be able to call you."

She nodded to him, turned and walked out. He was always waiting for her and it made her feel loved. She could only hope to someday tell him that she loved him too. She walked over to the baseball field across the street. The sight she saw astounded her. The Arora Borealis were in full swing above her. She found it weird how they were able to have a chance like this to save her mother and she was thankful for it. Was it the universe giving her this chance? Or was it the fact that she admitted to herself that she was deeply in love with Rick? Whatever the answer was she wouldn't waste any more time trying to figure it out anymore.

By the time she came back Rick had made good on his word to feed her. Whatever it was he made, which she was amazed by because she didn't think she had anything in her kitchen that would end up smelling this good she took in the smells coming from her stove top. When he heard the door click closed he looked up at her.

"So did you find what you were looking for?"

"In a way I did. What were you able to make for us?"

"Something fit for a queen to eat! It's a simple dish something I used to make for Alexis when she was younger."

"Well, whatever it is it smells great. But what I can't believe is that you found everything you needed to make it in my kitchen."

"Ah, I see. But I am able to make something from nothing and have it be edible."

"Good, because I'm starving."

"Well pull up a seat and I'll take care of you then."

She kept looking at him before she sat down. She knew that he would always take care of her. it was like it was his duty to make sure she was happy. She should really tell him how she feels and before they're done with this 3XK case. They settle into a quiet silence as they both eat what he has made.

Xx

Jim can't get to sleep. He needs to fix the radio if he wants to talk to Kate. So, he slips gently out of their bed, throws on his pants and shirt and heads to the den to get to work. He takes out everything he'll need for the repair and then he looks to see if he has spare parts for the radio. He does and he pulls his ohm meter out and starts to test each component on the radio. The sun is starting to rise and he feels her soft touch on his shoulder. She had the forethought to make him a cup of coffee knowing that he'd be here. He covers her hand within a silent thank you for taking care of him then wraps his arm around her to bring her closer. She knows that he needs to get done with fixing the lifeline he has with their daughter in the future, so she leaves him to it. He's just about done and he replaces the last vacuum tube and flips the power switch up to power up the radio.

Xx

They were still sitting in her kitchen talking softly with each other their meal long finished when they heard it.

"Kate are you there?

They didn't think they heard it at first. But when the next transmission came over the speaker they knew that her dad had fixed his radio.

"Kate, it's Dad, are you there?"

"DAD! Is that really you?"

"Yeah, Kate it's me. We stopped him I mean I stopped him. I killed him."

"What happened, Dad?"

"It's one for the record books! Satch hauled me into the station and questioned me. They left me alone in the interrogation room and _HE_ showed up. He tried to take me out but I was able to escape after I electrocuted him."

"What was that dad"

"Don't worry, he's still alive to stand trial."

"Anyway I made it to the docks, got into the river and waited for him to find me. When he did I pulled him into the river and stabbed him too many times to count. He's dead Kate!"

"Dad, something's wrong…."

"What Kate, what's wrong?"

Kate stares at a picture of her father and his friends at a party and her mom is still not beside him. If it happened like it did before, her mind would have been flooded with memories of them together past the time she was murdered. But that didn't happen now.

"Kate, talk to me what's wrong?"

"Dad, if we stopped him why isn't mom here? Why don't I remember her being here? Her being okay? The memories of her and you together?"

"Kate, I killed him, I swear I did!"

"Dad, I don't doubt that you did. But somethings not…

She caught the movement from the corner of her eye, too late to stop what was going to happen. The butt of a gun came down hard on the back of Rick's skull and slumped forward onto the floor in the same move she was hit on the jaw, knocking her out of the chair and onto the floor. She knew it was 3XK. He'd come to kill her. She could hear him above her, then bend down to disarm her. She shook off the hit to her jaw and waited for him to remove her weapon. When he did he tossed it away to the hardwood floor of the dining room and came to a stop. He had his weapon aimed at her head. She just waited for the right time to strike.

Jim was hearing every word being said. He was too involved in what was going on to even be aware of what was happening around him.

"Kate! Kate!" He hoped she was okay.

Kate didn't wait until he was standing. She used his bent over position to her advantage and grabbed the arm he had his gun in. When she did he wasn't expecting her to grab him. During the struggle, Jim listened intently. It was then when he was hit from behind with a pipe wrench and fell to the floor.

Darryl knew that he had to secure the lawyer. He took out his cuffs and cuffed him between the door frame and broken window he'd kicked out seconds before. He dragged him into place and made sure he wouldn't be following him anywhere.

Xx

Jo heard her husband come into the kitchen so she never turned around to look at him. She felt his body moving closer to hers and she knew that he always wanted to be close. When he drew his hand over her face, her eyes went wide with fear. Whoever this was, it surely was not her husband. She tried to turn around but Darryl pulled her into a choke hold and dragged her backward. She let out a scream that would have woke the dead calling out his name and Jim heard it as he came to.

Xx

Kate and Darryl had been struggling on the floor. He had fired off many shots and she tried to keep count of how many were fired. She was worried more about where these shots were landing because a couple of them came close to where Rick was laying out cold. She couldn't afford for him to be shot. When he pulled the trigger this time the round fired and the slide slid back indicating an empty magazine. He knew it too so he started to crawl over to where her weapon was to finish the job.

Xx

Katie heard all the screaming and commotion going on outside her bedroom. She opened her door and walked towards the kitchen and saw her mom with someone she did not recognize. At first, she wanted to keep quiet. But whoever he was, was hurting her so she called out her name.

"Mom?"

Johanna took this distraction and used it. She dug her fingernails deep into the side of his head and pulled hard against his face. The blood was instant and at that moment the Darryl in Kate's apartment felt the same injury. Kate looked up as a scar marred the side of his face that wasn't there a second ago healed up.

Knowing that this bitch hurt him he knocked her out in one swing and let her body hit the floor. He waited for a second and ran towards Katie easily overpowering her. He pulled her hands together behind her back and moved her slowly back to where he left the lawyer.

Xx

They struggled and crawled through the dining room and when he came close to her gun she was able to knock it away from his reach sliding it further away but he had weight and strength over her and with one last push he grabbed her gun. He pinned her to the floor digging his knees into her sides. He placed the gun against her head and his other hand around her throat squeezing hard enough to cut off her breathing.

Xx

Jim needed to move. He was able to work the cuffs free with a spare key he was given by Satch years ago. He was able to pull the tool tray off his desk that held the key within it. It was hard to turn his body into a pretzel in order to get the key, but he did and he was free. He went straight to the closet and picked up the Remington 12-gauge single barrel shotgun and 4 rounds of buck shot. He loaded it and walked out to the kitchen. The second Darryl heard the shotgun's rack slide loading a round, he pulled Katie directly in front of him. He was using her as a human shield.

"What are you going to do Jim?" he said with a cocky smile on his face.

Jim could only stand there knowing that he would lose this no matter how he looked at it.

"Let her go!" Jim demanded.

"You put the gun down and I will."

Jim still held his aim on Darryl not wavering.

"Put it down or I'll snap her neck." He grabbed her hair and wrapped his other arm around her neck, threatening to do just that.

At the same moment, Kate watched as Darryl moved her gun to the center of her forehead. She knew that it would end soon she only wishes that she could have told Rick how she felt.

"Time to die, Detective." Darryl told her.

Jim had no choice to put down the shotgun, so he did it very slowly watching Darryl the whole time.

Then he heard a voice come over the radio saying it was time to die. It was the break he was looking for. And Jo thought so too. She jumped on his back from where she was in the kitchen and started to hit him hard. In the attack, he released Katie and told her to run. Momentarily dazed Darryl threw Jo down when he realized what was happening to him. He started to run towards Jim to get to the shotgun before he did. Jim was faster, and he raised the barrel and aimed then squeezed the trigger. Darryl raised his hand up in a defensive move but comprehended his mistake too late. The round left the barrel and cleanly removed Darryl's right hand. He got up and took off running out the back door holding his arm to stop the bleeding. Jim asked if Jo and Katie were okay and they nodded that they were.

Xx

Kate waited for the trigger to be pulled. Then she heard her dad yelling at her to run. She knew he meant Katie and not her. She struggled to try to get air into her lungs when she heard the shotgun blast. Darryl heard it too and he relaxed his grip on her throat.

He removed his hand and Kate looked up and saw it fade away from his arm, cleanly. Darryl watched as his hand as it shriveled up and vanished before his eyes. He raised up off the detective and what he saw happening around him his mind could not believe it. The room and all of its content were changing. New chairs replaced old the chairs and couch changed patterns and style. The walls were instantly painted in a different color. Then the worst sound filled his ears. The slide of a shotgun being racked to fire. He looked to the sound and raised Kates gun and he knew it was too late. The blast filled the room and echoed. Darryl fell back about three feet hit by the blast, dead.

Kate gets up into a sitting position and looks at Darryl's dead body. She wants to know who it was that shot him so she turns around to see her dad. Of course, he's a lot grayer, but he still looks great. He walks over, extends his hand and pulls her up from the floor. She takes him in a hug knowing that he saved her life. He responds by returning the hug back.

"She's still here Katie, she's still here."

They break from the hug and Jim looks down and sees Rick on the floor unconscious.

"So, this is him huh?"

"Yeah dad, it is."

What do you say we get him up and back with us?"

"That sounds good to me."

They get Rick up off the floor and put him on the couch and Kate talks to him quietly trying to get him to come to. It works because his eyelids flutter and he tries to focus in on her.

"Take it easy Rick. You were hit on the head and knocked out. Just take your time, okay?"

He can only nod his head in agreement, but that was a mistake as the room starts to spin so he closes his eyes again. Kate fears that he slipped back out, but he takes her hand in his and brings it to his mouth planting kisses on her knuckles. She's relieved.

 **A/N: Epilogue to follow!**


	20. Chapter 20

He knew that there was a lot to do and that he had kept her in the dark about his plan until the very end…

 _Flashback to two days ago…_

When he came to, actually, it was Kate with her insistent shaking of his upper body that made him open his eyes and he wondered where he was his. When he started to become more alert, his brain was presented with memories that he never had of her before. Trying to figure them all out was like trying to piece together a jigsaw puzzle with most of its pieces missing.

"Rick, are you okay?"

He noticed more concern in her tone than she had ever used before. She helped him into a sitting position. His hand went to the back of his head and he felt something wet. Taking his hand away and bringing it forward to see it, he heard Kate's inward gasp as she took in a breath.

"Rick your bleeding!"

He could only stare at the palm of his hand wondering how this happened. Then it all came back to him and he became worried about her and what she faced while he was unconscious.

"Kate, what happened?"

"Rick, I'm okay, I'm fine and Darryl is no longer a threat to us anymore."

"Fine, my ass Kate! Have you taken a look in a mirror lately?" He said totally ignoring the fact that she said that Darryl was no longer a threat to them.

Her hand automatically rose to the side of her face to hide the large bruise and gash on her cheek bone.

"Rick, I'll be fine. But we should get you checked out. That head laceration looks pretty nasty."

He was about to argue but then he had a better idea.

"Kate, I have a compromise. If I have to go to the hospital to get checked out, then so do you."

She looked at him and could see the concern in his eyes as well as the love he had for her. So, deciding not to go against his wishes she agreed.

Jim was standing in the living room and he could not believe that this man had made his daughter agree to something that she did not want to agree with in the first place. Boy had she changed and it seemed to be for the better. The ambulance showed up 15 minutes later and took both of them to the hospital. Jim follows behind in his car so they'd have a way to get home after they're done with their checkup.

The hospital had found them both fit with the exception of Rick needing to be watched for the next 24 hours just so he wouldn't have the symptoms of a concussion develop. While he was in the ER being checked out that's where Rick came up with this idea.

 _Present day…_

"Rick!" Kate whined.

"Just a few more minutes and we'll be there just cool your jets."

Kate hated surprises. But for all that they've been through with this case and solving over twelve other unsolved cold cases, she decided to give him the benefit of the doubt because they both needed this whatever it was he was planning.

Rick slowly pulled up to the building where he had set up this whole get together. He knew that Kate had both versions of her life with her mother from when she was murdered, and when she was alive. So, he decided to have all of their friends, Satch and his partner, their families, the boys and Lanie and of course the guests of honor Jim and Johanna just to celebrate life.

"Come on Kate just a few more feet and we're there." Rick said as they walked up to the steps of the building.

Rick opened the door and guided her easily through the opening as he walked in he put his finger to his lips telling everyone to keep quiet. He moved over to the center of the room directly across from Jim and Johanna and stopped. His hands went to the back of her head as he untied the blindfold that covered her eyes.

"Kate, before I take the blindfold off please close your eyes for me."

Kate did what he asked of her and the blindfold fell from her head. He waited for a second and then backed away about a foot behind her. Then he said she could open her eyes.

The first site that she saw after her eyes had adjusted to the bright light of the room was her parents holding each other lovingly. It was all too much for her. Seeing her parents together standing in front of her was a sight that she thought she would never see again. Without her permission, her eyes started tearing up and soon the tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"Katie, what's wrong?" Her mother asked.

Clearing her throat she spoke, but very softly.

"Mom I never thought I'd see you again. I thought that I had lost you forever."

"Katie, you never lost me. I'm not going anywhere!" Johanna winked back towards Rick. After he had told her what happened in Katie's life she could understand why she was thinking this. No, she wasn't going anywhere now.

Kate drew closer to her parents and pulled both of them into a hug wanting to be with both of them as a family. After a long and much needed hug, Kate broke from the embrace. Her thoughts went to Rick and what he had done to make this day possible. Where are you? she thought. She turned around and looked for him. She covered almost the whole room walking aimlessly. She was stopped by almost everyone she knew wishing her well. When she finally found him, her eyes locked with his. What she saw in them was nothing but the love he had for her. He flashed her a smile and she returned it back. Then he walked away from her. Her eyes followed his path and then he came up to her father. He stopped in front of him and they started to talk. Seeing that he was far across the room she couldn't hear anything about their conversation. Curious as to what it could be about, she started to walk over to them keeping them in sight the whole time. But by the time she made it halfway across the floor, her father was shaking his hand vigorously and her mom took him into a loving hug. She stopped about ten feet from them with a suspicious look on her face. The hugging and handshake stopped instantly. Rick turned around and said,

"Kate, would it be alright if we left now? Just for a little while? The case is closed, the bad guy was caught, and you got your happy ending. I promise we will come right back."

She still didn't know what was said between them. But she would find out.

"Where do you want to go? And what for?" She asked.

"The first answer is to the small coffee shop on the corner. The second answer is to have that talk you promised we'd have when the case was closed."

She didn't really forget the talk, she only hoped he did.

"Okay Rick, you're right we do need to talk. Lead on."

He took her hand in his and led her down to the coffee shop. Once they arrived he wanted to find an area that was a little private for them and after scanning the shop he found a booth that was tucked away in the back of the shop and was far away from the other patrons. He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her in that direction. Once they sat down a waitress was at their table.

"What'll it be folks?"

"Two coffees please." Rick said.

"Be right back." The woman replied and went to fill their order.

She looked across the table and when she really looked at him, he looked nervous. He had a bead of sweat on the top of his forehead and she sat there and wondered what had shocked him all of a sudden.

"Kate, I need to ask you a couple of things."

"Okay, Rick go ahead." She sat back in the seat as the waitress returned with their coffee. They thanked her and she looked up to him once again.

Rick was beyond nervous. He needed to know that he was what she wanted in a partner, well more than a partner if he had the courage to go through with this.

"Kate, do you have any feelings towards me? And I don't mean that you can't stand me or that you feel like I'm always like the nine-year-old who's had way too much candy."

She looked up and noticed that his face was sincere in the words he spoke. What did she think about her feelings for him? She knew that without a doubt that he was more than her partner to her and that she wanted to see what would happen if they took the next step to becoming more. She knew that her feelings for him were more than any she had felt in any of her relationships before.

When she came to her decision she looked at him. She could tell that his nervousness had reached a level that she had never seen before. So, she answered him.

"Rick, while at first, I thought you were an egotistical jackass, I have since seen that you have a side to you that I love since you forced yourself into my life. You're a caring dad, you always see the best in the worst situations and that keeps me grounded believe it or not."

"Oh."

"What with the "Oh" Rick? You know that you mean a lot to me, right?"

"Well, I was hoping that you had felt differently about us."

"Differently how?" She wondered how long she could string him along before he realized that she was only messing with him.

He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out something that she couldn't quite make out. It was small whatever it was and she could only look back and forth between his hand and his face.

He placed his hand on the table, took a sip of now almost cold coffee and started.

"I was hoping that by differently it meant that you'd see that we were good for each other."

Without saying another word he opened the small blue velvet covered ring box and turned it towards her on the table.

"So different, that we could spend the rest of our lives finding out how to navigate how much we mean to each other."

She just sat there with her jaw hanging open. Hell, she couldn't even breath! Was he asking her what she thought he was? She should not have messed with him now. She should have just answered him from what she was feeling in her heart. She waited for him to say something, anything but then realized that she needed to answer his question first.

"Kate, together we are better as a team. And I mean that in every aspect of our partnership, but I want to take it one step further. I want to show you how much I love you. And for me to do that I'd like you to be my wife. Kate, I'm in love with you and have been for a long time. You have changed me and it made me see that I had a lot of growing up to do. I hope that you can see the changes that you have made in me. You are the one who did this and I'm so grateful for it."

She was stunned. She did that much for him? She can't remember when it was, but she had fallen in love with him too. She never really showed it, but she knew that he was her one and done and that she'd get there, eventually. Then the pieces fell together from earlier. Rick and her dad with the handshake and her mom giving him a loving hug. After about three minutes of total silence between them, he spoke.

"Ahh, Kate?"

She snapped back to reality. Oh, right he wanted an answer.

"Rick, I think that together we will be amazing together, so yes I'd love to be your wife!"

The smile that broke out on his face was one that she would never get tired of seeing. She had come a long way and with his support and help, they'd be able to go so much further and to become so much more….

~Fin~


End file.
